World Series Ratings Struggling Thru Two Games

The World Series hit another four-year low on Wednesday, with ratings in the young adult demos hitting historic depths.

Wednesday’s Dodgers-Red Sox World Series Game 2 earned an 8.1 rating and 13.46 million viewers on FOX, down 12% in ratings and 13% in viewership from Astros-Dodgers last year (9.2, 15.50M) and down 21% and 23% respectively from Cubs-Indians in 2016, which aired in an earlier window to avoid rain (10.2, 17.40M).

Boston’s win, which peaked with 15.95 million viewers, ranks as the lowest rated and least-watched Game 2 of the World Series since 2014 (Giants-Royals: 7.9, 12.92M).

The 8.1 is tied as the third-lowest Game 2 rating on record, matching Phillies-Rays in 2008. Only Giants-Royals in ’14 and Tigers-Giants in ’12 (7.8) had a lower rating. Viewership was the fifth-lowest for a Game 2, ahead of the three aforementioned games and Cardinals-Red Sox in 2013 (13.43M).

The first two games of this year’s World Series earned a lower rating and fewer viewers than the previous 15 — all 14 games of Astros-Dodgers last year and Cubs-Indians in 2016, and the final game of Royals-Mets in 2015.

Including streaming and Spanish-language viewership, Game 2 had an audience of 14.07 million (-12%).

Game 2 earned a 3.3 rating in adults 18-49, down 21% from last year (4.2) and down 31% from 2016 (4.8). The 3.3 is the lowest Game 2 rating on record in the demo, falling below 2014 (3.4).

In adults 18-34, it had a 2.3 rating — down 30% from last year (3.3) and down 38% from 2016 (3.7). The 2.3 is also below 2014 levels (2.9).

Ratings held up better in adults 25-54, dropping 16% from a 4.9 last year to a 4.1.

Entering Game 3, the World Series is averaging 13.63 million viewers on FOX, per Sports Business Daily — down 11% from last year (15.31M), down 26% from 2016 (18.33M), and the lowest average since 2014 (12.55M).

For the full list of World Series ratings dating back to 1972, check this page.