World Series Ratings Third-Lowest on Record

Series averages third-lowest rating on record

It was a made-for-TV matchup on paper, but Red Sox-Dodgers ended up as one of the lowest rated and least-watched World Series ever.

The five-game Red Sox-Dodgers World Series averaged an 8.3 rating and 14.13 million viewers on FOX, down 22% in ratings and 25% in viewership from Astros-Dodgers last year (10.7, 18.91M) and down 37% and 40% respectively from Cubs-Indians in 2016 (13.1, 23.40M), both of which went seven games.

Comparing just the first five games, viewership declined 14% from last year (16.40M) and 27% from 2016 (19.29M).

Versus the last five-game World Series, Royals-Mets in 2015, ratings fell 5% (from 8.7) and viewership 4% (from 14.70M).

Red Sox-Dodgers ranks as the lowest rated and least-watched World Series since 2014 (Giants-Royals: 8.2, 13.8M). The 8.3 rating is the third-lowest on record for the Fall Classic, ahead of 2014 and the all-time low set in 2012 (Giants-Tigers: 7.6).

The FOX-only audience ranks as the fourth-smallest in World Series history, ahead of 2014, 2012 (12.7M) and 2008 (Phillies-Rays: 13.6M). The series also averaged a streaming audience of 205,000 on Fox Sports GO (+12%) and a Spanish-language audience of 449,000 on Fox Deportes (-6%), adding up to a combined average of about 14.38 million.

Expectations were high entering this year’s World Series. After struggling throughout the first half of this decade, World Series ratings began to bounce back in 2015, hitting double-digits in 2016 and 2017. This year’s pairing of big market, traditional teams seemed likely to build on last year’s impressive numbers — especially as the Red Sox are assumed to be more popular than the Astros. While the series was lopsided, the games were dramatic; none more so than the historic, 18-inning Game 3.

That ratings not only declined from last year, but rank among the lowest on record, is a result few would have anticipated.

For the ninth time in 11 years, the World Series averaged a lower rating and viewership than the NBA Finals, which this year was a four-game sweep (10.0, 17.7M). It also trailed the College Football Playoff, which averaged 26.8 million viewers on ESPN.

The World Series did finish ahead of this year’s NCAA Tournament Final Four, which aired on cable for just the second time (7.7, 14.1M).

Series averages in the key adult demographics were not immediately available.

Ratings for each game of this year’s World Series, and every World Series game dating back to 1972, are available here.

[Numbers from Fox Sports]

World Series Game 5 Down, But Third-Best Since 2003

Jon Lewis

Jon Lewis has been covering the sports media industry on a daily basis since 2006 as the founder and main writer of Sports Media Watch. You can contact him here or on the social media websites X (Twitter) or Bluesky.

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Comments 13

Montreal Royals says:

8 years ago

Basbeall has had a declining interest since the 94 Strike and Wild Card rounds. World Series Ratings have been on the decline since the strike in ’94 in addition to the Wild Card, Interleague play in ’97 (which has ruined the tradition of two separate leagues, the over exposure on cable, the Steroid Era 98-07, the Mitchell report and over expansion of the playoffs, which leaves the casual fan disinterested by the time the World Series begins. MLB gets only 1/3 of the it’s ratings then it did during the Pennant Race Era of 1969-1993. The NBA Finals gets 75% of its ratinsg than it did during the Magic/Bird, Jordan Years. The Cubs 1st World Series win in 108 years couldn’t get a 15.0 rating (12.9), which the Red Sox were able to accomplish in 2004 a 15.7 rating.
Jeff Rodrigues says:

8 years ago

When I see ratings trends like this in recent years, I never hear this discussed, but I wonder if the baseball broadcasts being over-saturated with advertisements is playing any role in this. In more recent years of World Series broadcasts, quite honestly I feel like I’m getting absolutely diluted with ads during the games (separate from commercial breaks, and separate from the typical “tonight’s broadcast is being brought to you by…” sponsor plugs), and it’s hurting my interest in the game itself. A main sponsor for the World Series broadcast that can’t stop being mentioned over and over and over again throughout a single game. A sponsor for the starting lineup. A sponsor for stealing a base. A sponsor for a player profile. Sponsors on the walls behind home plate. A sponsor for long ball stats. A sponsor for replay challenges. The 7th inning stretch sponsor plug. Short commercials during meetings on the mound. On and on and on it goes. It feels more like a 3+ hour infomercial than a sporting event. For me, it distracts from my enjoyment of the game, and I absolutely hate it. I do wonder if that might have a role in turning others away as well.
- Paulsen says:
  
  8 years ago
  
  I doubt that’s causing it — no real difference in ads between this year and last (FOX began airing ads during play last year). Though I would say that the ad saturation is over-the top.
  - Jeff Rodrigues says:
    
    8 years ago
    
    The ad saturation issue isn’t just this year and last year. Look at any footage of Fox’s telecasts of the World Series over the past eight years (even those years without the short in-game commercials from the last two years), then compare them to telecasts roughly 20 years ago and earlier, and you’ll see what I mean. To me, the ads are so over-saturated nowadays that it distracts from enjoyment of the games, and I can’t help but wonder if this might play a role in turning others away.
NaBUru38 says:

8 years ago

On Fox Deportes, the World Series game 4 had 409k viewers and the game 5 had 577k viewers. Not bad at for cable, but still much less than what Univisión or Telemundo could reach.
Samuel says:

8 years ago

I’m surprised by the all-time low numbers because it featured two of baseball’s supposed “Big Four” teams but I’m not too surprised because this is where baseball is heading. Take a look at how much the game has changed. The constant changing of pitchers, playoff games lasting upwards of 3.5 hours for a 9 inning game, lack of balls in play due to strikeouts and walks, silly extreme shifting which has killed the left handed batter. On top of a bunch of other things such as every little thing on a base getting challenged like a runner’s finger coming off the bag, it’s all led to this sport dying right in front of us. It’s just not baseball like anyone grew up with. The sport has been completely ruined by analytics and other nonsense that it’s become unwatchable. Very disappointing because for a long time baseball was my favorite sport. Not anymore.
Goober says:

8 years ago

The series was not very exciting and I didn’t really get into it, even as a big baseball fan.

The theory is that the two traditional, successful, and famous franchises going at it is the best for ratings, but I disagree. The best matchups for ratings are those between one traditional, successful, famous franchise and one clear upstart. Series like Red Sox vs. Dodgers lack storylines and intrigue to neutral and casual fans because the match-up feels so same-y, as if either outcome would be identical.

Red Sox vs. Brewers probably would have scored better because it would be a storyline of a powerful favorite vs. a small-market underdog. Neutral and casual fans would draw an easy distinction between the Red Sox winning and the Brewers winning, and would almost certainly root for the Brewers. Dodgers vs. Astros and Cardinals vs. Rangers were match-ups of similar makeup and had no problems grabbing the nation’s attention either, even before it was apparent those series would be all-time classics.
- Paulsen says:
  
  8 years ago
  
  Tough to argue that Red Sox-Brewers would have done better (unless it went seven). Milwaukee smallest market in MLB and not really that compelling of a team. Astros in ’17 and Rangers in ’11 were both from top ten markets.
ESL says:

8 years ago

These numbers are awful. MLB has to be very concerned after a series featuring 2 traditional franchises in big markets. The league needs to react quickly. MLB is in jeopardy of losing a generation of fans due to its recent focus on relief pitching, strikeouts, and home runs. Most of the post season playoff games were close to or over 4 hours long. In 2004, the NHL was recovering from a season long lock out, and needed to do something to recharge and re-energize its fan base. They did a complete reboot of it’s game. Radical rule changes like removing the red line were made. A strategic plan was put in place marketing its star players. Special events were created like the winter classic. MLB has to use it’s off season to do a full reboot. They need to focus on the next generation. If baseball doesn’t react this off season, and make some radical changes, the league will be looked at as a secondary sport in years to come and Next TV contract the World Series will be on MLB network and Fox Sports 1
- Samuel says:
  
  8 years ago
  
  I understand your point about baseball needing to do something to stop losing fans but I completely disagree about your NHL point. Although the game is more exciting to watch since 2005-06, it still hasn’t caught on in this country and the ratings prove it. There was a night recently where an obscure college football game had more viewers than a combined NHL doubleheader. And the marketing of stars actually hasn’t happened which is one of the points critics of the NHL always bring up. They’re trying to change that this season with Wednesday Night Hockey showcasing more top talent, even in Canada, but the NHL is still way behind all the other sports including baseball.
- NaBUru38 says:
  
  8 years ago
  
  If it’s about changing game rules, I’d reduce the number of innings and increase the number of outs per team, for example 5×5. This would increase the number of runners.
  - nymetsfan@hotmail.com says:
    
    8 years ago
    
    Umm what? 5 innings and 5 outs? If baseball needs that kind of change to capture people’s attention it might be time to do away with the sport altogether.
Rich S. says:

8 years ago

Without a proper storyline (e.g. Cubs and Astros the last two years) or a closely-competitive long series, it’s hard to get the casual sports fan to tune into the World Series. All of baseball’s issues are well documented, but it really does seem like it has an insurmountable demographic problem. People will always enjoy going to games for a communal experience, and occasionally tuning into the Series if it’s compelling theatre, so it’s not like it will ever entirely lose its significance. But the days of it being “America’s Pastime” are long, long gone, and will continue to lessen as its core audience ages and dies out. Whether its powers-that-be actually have a feasible plan to modernize a game where tradition is everything is yet to be seen.