The Men’s College World Series finished among the most-watched on record, but that did not extend to the Final.
The complete NCAA Men’s College World Series averaged 1.5 million viewers across the ESPN family of networks, up 24% from last year and the third-highest average on record behind 2023 and 2024, but the three-game Oklahoma-North Carolina MCWS Final was the least-watched in four years with an average of 2.0 million — down 21% from last year’s two-game Final between LSU and Coastal Carolina.
The entire MCWS faced competition from the FIFA World Cup.
Monday’s Oklahoma-North Carolina Game 3 averaged 2.45 million viewers on ESPN and ESPNU, down 27% from the previous Game 3 two years ago (Tennessee-Texas A&M: 3.34M) and also down from LSU-Florida Game 3 in 2023 (3.59M). The last Game 3 with a smaller audience was in 2021, when coverage aired on ESPN2 opposite the NBA conference finals and NHL Stanley Cup Final, both of which ran later than usual due to COVID.
The Sooners’ blowout win was still the most-watched college baseball game of the season, but in a rarity, trailed the most-watched game of the college softball season. Texas’ Game 2 clincher over Texas Tech in the Women’s College World Series Final averaged 2.48 million. This year marks the first time since 2022 that the most-watched softball game outdrew the most-watched baseball game.
Note that the Women’s College World Series ended before the World Cup began, with Game 2 of the WCWS Final facing less formidable competition from the Stanley Cup Final.
On Sunday, Game 2 averaged 2.25 million across ABC and ESPNU — down 19% from last year’s clinching LSU-Coastal Carolina game (2.78M) and down from the last non-clinching Game 2, Tennessee-Texas A&M in ’24 (2.92M). In addition to facing the World Cup, the Tar Heels’ win also aired opposite the final round of the U.S. Open. Last year’s Game 2 faced lesser competition from the Travelers Championship.
Game 1 on Saturday averaged 1.21 million after being moved up five hours to avoid inclement weather. As one might expect, that is the smallest audience for a MCWS final game since 2021.
A strong start helped the MCWS overcome its weak finish, as viewership had been up 44% entering the Final. The full NCAA baseball tournament averaged 695,000 viewers on the ESPN family of networks, up 29% year-over-year and behind 2023 and 2024 as the highest on record.
