Considering how poorly Saturday night games have done in the past, the third game of the World Series put up solid numbers on FOX.
Game 3 of the Red Sox/Cardinals World Series earned a 7.4 final rating and 12.5 million viewers on FOX Saturday night, up 21% in ratings and 19% in viewership from Giants/Tigers Game 3 last year (6.1, 10.5M), and up 12% and 11%, respectively, from Cardinals/Rangers Game 3 in 2011 (6.6, 11.2M).
Saturday’s game ranks as the highest rated and most-viewed Game 3 of the World Series since Yankees/Phillies in 2009 (9.1, 15.4M), and ranks second in both categories since the current World Series schedule began in 2007.
With that said, the game also ranks as the fifth-lowest rated World Series telecast of all-time, ahead of only the Giants/Tigers Game 3 last year (6.1), Rays/Phillies Game 3 in 2008 (6.1), Cardinals/Rangers Game 3 in 2011 (6.6), and Giants/Rangers Game 3 in 2010 (6.7). The five lowest rated games aired on Saturday nights.
Game 3 also ranks as the seventh-least viewed World Series telecast ever, ahead of only the four previously mentioned games and Games 1 and 2 of Tigers/Giants last year.
Among adults 18-49, Game 3 had a 3.3 rating — up 18% from last year (2.8), and up a tick from 2011 (3.2). The 3.3 is the highest for a Game 3 since 2009 (4.7).
The last time the Red Sox played in the World Series (2007), Game 3 against the Rockies had an 8.5 rating, 14.1 million viewers, and a 4.3 among adults 18-49. The last time the Red Sox played the Cardinals (2004), the Tuesday night Game 3 had a 15.7, 24.4 million viewers, and an 8.2 in the demo. Of course, the 2004 series was inflated by the so-called ‘curse.’
Through Game 3, the Cardinals/Red Sox World Series has averaged an 8.1 rating and 13.4 million viewers — up 13% in ratings and 15% in viewership from last year (7.2, 11.7M). The three-game average in 2011 was not available.
Ten Lowest Rated World Series Games
| # |
Date
|
Away
|
Home
|
Gm. #
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers
|
A18-49
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Sat., 10/25/08 | Rays | Phillies |
3
|
FOX |
6.1
|
9.8M
|
3.2
|
| T1 | Sat., 10/27/12 | Giants | Tigers |
3
|
FOX |
6.1
|
10.5M
|
2.8
|
| 3 | Sat., 10/22/11 | Cardinals | Rangers |
3
|
FOX |
6.6
|
11.2M
|
3.2
|
| 4 | Sat., 10/30/10 | Giants | Rangers |
3
|
FOX |
6.7
|
11.5M
|
2.9
|
| 5 | Sat., 10/26/12 | Red Sox | Cardinals |
3
|
FOX |
7.4
|
12.5M
|
3.3
|
| 6 | Wed., 10/24/12 | Tigers | Giants |
1
|
FOX |
7.6
|
12.2M
|
3.6
|
| 7 | Thu., 10/25/12 | Tigers | Giants |
2
|
FOX |
7.8
|
12.3M
|
3.5
|
| 8 | Sat., 10/21/06 | Cardinals | Tigers |
1
|
FOX |
8.0
|
12.8M
|
3.6
|
| 9 | Thu., 10/23/08 | Phillies | Rays |
2
|
FOX |
8.1
|
12.8M
|
4.0
|
| 10 | Thu., 10/24/13 | Cardinals | Red Sox |
2
|
FOX |
8.3
|
13.4M
|
3.6
|
(This year’s numbers from Fox Sports Media Group)
