The penultimate game of the 2012 World Series tied an all-time record low Saturday night.
Game 3 of the Giants/Tigers World Series drew a 6.1 final rating and 10.471 million viewers on FOX Saturday night, down 8% in ratings and 7% in viewership from Cardinals/Rangers Game 3 last year (6.6, 11.247M), and down 9% in both measures from Giants/Rangers Game 3 in 2010 (6.7, 11.460M).
Saturday’s 6.1 rating is tied with Rays/Phillies Game 3 in 2008 as the lowest ever for a World Series game (see table). Keep in mind the 2008 game was postponed until after 10 PM ET due to rain.
In addition, viewership for the game ranks as the second-worst ever for the World Series, ahead of only Rays/Phillies Game 3 (9.836M).
In four of the past five World Series, the Saturday night Game 3 has failed to draw at least a 7.0 rating. Prior to 2008, no World Series game had ever fallen below even an 8.0 rating.
For some perspective, the last NBA Finals game to draw less than a 7.0 rating was Spurs/Cavaliers Game 4 in 2007 (6.5), and the last NCAA Tournament Final Four game to fall below that mark was Kansas/Marquette in 2003 (6.3). The Bowl Championship Series routinely falls below a 7.0 rating; just this year, the Orange Bowl earned a mere 4.5.
The Giants/Tigers World Series now accounts for half of the six lowest-rated World Series games.
Among adults 18-49, Saturday’s game (2.8) was outdrawn head-to-head by the Notre Dame/Oklahoma college football game on ABC (2.9).
10 Lowest Rated World Series Games
| # | Date | Away | Home | Gm. # | Net | Rating | Viewers (000) | A18-49 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Sat., 10/27/12 | Giants | Tigers |
3
|
FOX |
6.1
|
10,471
|
2.8
|
| T1 | Sat., 10/25/08 | Rays | Phillies |
3
|
FOX |
6.1
|
9,836
|
3.2
|
| 3 | Sat., 10/22/11 | Cardinals | Rangers |
3
|
FOX |
6.6
|
11,247
|
3.2
|
| 4 | Sat., 10/30/10 | Giants | Rangers |
3
|
FOX |
6.7
|
11,460
|
2.9
|
| 5 | Wed., 10/24/12 | Tigers | Giants |
1
|
FOX |
7.6
|
12,240
|
3.6
|
| 6 | Thu., 10/25/12 | Tigers | Giants |
2
|
FOX |
7.8
|
12,340
|
3.5
|
| 7 | Sat., 10/21/06 | Cardinals | Tigers |
1
|
FOX |
8.0
|
12,840
|
3.6
|
| 8 | Thu., 10/23/08 | Phillies | Rays |
2
|
FOX |
8.1
|
12,777
|
4.0
|
| T9 | Thu., 10/28/10 | Rangers | Giants |
2
|
FOX |
8.5
|
14,130
|
4.0
|
| T9 | Sat., 10/27/07 | Red Sox | Rockies |
3
|
FOX |
8.5
|
14,055
|
4.3
|
Ratings/Viewership For Game 3 of the World Series
Past decade
| Year | Date | Away | Home | Net | Rating | Viewers (000) | A18-49 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Sat., 10/27/12 | Giants | Tigers | FOX |
6.1
|
10,471
|
2.8
|
| 2011 | Sat., 10/22/11 | Cardinals | Rangers | FOX |
6.6
|
11,247
|
3.2
|
| 2010 | Sat., 10/30/10 | Giants | Rangers | FOX |
6.7
|
11,460
|
2.9
|
| 2009 | Sat., 10/31/09 | Yankees | Phillies | FOX |
9.1
|
15,397
|
4.7
|
| 2008 | Sat., 10/25/08 | Rays | Phillies | FOX |
6.1
|
9,836
|
3.2
|
| 2007 | Sat., 10/27/07 | Red Sox | Rockies | FOX |
8.5
|
14,055
|
4.3
|
| 2006 | Tue., 10/24/06 | Tigers | Cardinals | FOX |
10.2
|
15,582
|
4.8
|
| 2005 | Tue., 10/25/05 | White Sox | Astros | FOX |
11.0
|
16,652
|
5.7
|
| 2004 | Tue., 10/26/04 | Red Sox | Cardinals | FOX |
15.7
|
24,422
|
8.2
|
| 2003 | Tue., 10/21/03 | Yankees | Marlins | FOX |
12.5
|
18,889
|
6.6
|
| 2002 | Tue., 10/22/02 | Angels | Giants | FOX |
10.8
|
17,043
|
5.9
|
(Saturday’s numbers from Fox Sports Media Group press release via Fang’s Bites; viewership and adults 18-49 rating from TV By the Numbers)
