An uptick in television ratings resulted in the highest rated Game 5 of the World Series since 2009.
Game 5 of the Red Sox/Cardinals World Series drew an 8.9 final rating and 14.4 million viewers on FOX Monday night, up 1% in ratings and viewership from Cardinals/Rangers Game 5 in 2011 (8.8, 14.3M), and up 1% and down 3%, respectively, from the clinching Giants/Rangers Game 5 in 2010 (8.8, 15.0M). There was no Game 5 last year.
The 8.9 rating is the highest for a Game 5 of the World Series since Yankees/Phillies in 2009 (10.6), topping the aforementioned games in 2010 and 2011. Television ratings for the last three games of Red Sox/Cardinals have topped the comparable games in 2010 and 2011, a turnaround from Games 1 and 2.
With that said, Monday’s game also ranks as the third-lowest rated and second-least viewed Game 5 in World Series history.
Among adults 18-49, Game 5 earned a 4.1 rating — down a tick from both 2010 and 2011 (4.2).
While Game 5 easily topped the Seahawks/Rams “Monday Night Football” game overall (6.7, 10.8M), the NFL won the head-to-head battle among adults 18-49 (4.2 to 4.1). The NFL also swept Sunday’s head-to-head battle with Game 4, as the Packers/Vikings “Sunday Night Football” game topped the World Series in ratings (9.8 to 9.4), viewership (16.9M to 16.0M) and adults 18-49 (6.3 to 4.6).
Through Game 5, the Red Sox/Cardinals World Series has averaged an 8.5 rating and 14.1 million viewers on FOX — up 12% in ratings and 11% in viewership from last year’s four-game Giants/Tigers series (7.6, 12.7M), and up 2% and 3%, respectively, from Cardinals/Rangers in 2011 (8.3, 13.7M).
This marks the highest rated World Series through five games since Yankees/Phillies in 2009 (11.4), and the second-highest rated since 2007. The series also ranks as the most-viewed through five since Giants/Rangers in 2010 (14.3M), and the third-most viewed since 2007.
Overall, however, this year’s World Series stands as the fifth-lowest rated and fourth-least viewed ever through five games. That actually marks an improvement from earlier in the series, when the numbers were on pace to be the second-worst ever.
(Mon. numbers/series avg. from Fox Sports Media Group; additional info from The Futon Critic)
