The World Series is off to its best start since 2004.
Game 2 of the Phillies/Yankees World Series drew an 11.7/19 fast-national rating and 18.9 million viewers on FOX Thursday night, up 44% in ratings and 48% in viewership from Rays/Phillies Game 2 last year (8.1, 12.8 mil), and up 5% and 12%, respectively, from Red Sox/Rockies Game 2 in ’07 (11.1, 17 mil).
Phillies/Yankees Game 2 ranks as the highest rated, most-viewed Game 2 of the World Series since Cardinals/Red Sox in ’04 (15.9, 25.5 mil).
Game 2 had the biggest rise in ratings and viewership for a World Series game since Reds/Athletics Game 4 in ’90. That game drew a 21.4/38 and 32.9 million viewers, up 46% and 52%, respectively, from a 14.7/28 and 21.6 million for Athletics/Giants the previous year.
Compared to Game 2 of the 2003 World Series, the last to feature the Yankees, Thursday night’s game was down 7% in ratings and 8% in viewership from a 12.6/20 and 20.6 million viewers. Keep in mind that game aired on a Sunday night, traditionally the most-viewed night of the week.
Despite the strong numbers, the 11.7 rating is the lowest for a non-Saturday World Series game involving the Yankees since at least ’76, surpassing the previous low of 11.9 for Phillies/Yankees Game 1.
Game 2 drew a 5.8 rating in the key adults 18-49 demographic, up 43% from a 4.0 last year, and tied as the highest rated Game 2 in that demographic since ’04 (9.0).
To put the numbers in perspective, the 11.7 for Game 2 is 43% higher than the 8.2 for Game 2 of the NBA Finals in June. Despite that huge lead, Phillies/Yankees Game 2 only tied the NBA game among adults 18-49 (5.8 for both).
The 18.9 million viewers is the fourth-most of the year for a non-NFL sporting event, behind only the BCS National Championship Game, the Rose Bowl and Wednesday’s Phillies/Yankees Game 1.
Through two games, the 2009 World Series is averaging an 11.8/19 rating and 19.2 million viewers on FOX, up 37% in ratings and 40% in viewership from Phillies/Rays last year (8.6/14, 13.8 mil), and up 9% and 14%, respectively, from Rockies/Red Sox in ’07 (10.8, 16.9 mil).
Phillies/Yankees is on par with the first two games of Marlins/Yankees in ’03, which averaged an 11.8 and 19 million viewers.
Ratings/viewership for Game 2 of World Series since ’95
Includes adults 18-49 rating from 2001-09
| Year | Date | Game | Net | Rating | Viewers | A18-49 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Thu., 10/29/09 | Phillies/Yankees G2 | FOX |
11.7/19
|
18.9 mil
|
5.8
|
| 2008 | Thu., 10/23/08 | Phillies/Rays G2 | FOX |
8.1/13
|
12.8 mil
|
4.0
|
| 2007 | Thu., 10/25/07 | Rockies/Red Sox G2 | FOX |
11.1/18
|
17.0 mil
|
5.3
|
| 2006 | Sun., 10/22/06 | Cardinals/Tigers G2 | FOX |
11.6/18
|
18.2 mil
|
5.8
|
| 2005 | Sun., 10/23/05 | Astros/White Sox G2 | FOX |
11.1/17
|
17.2 mil
|
5.7
|
| 2004 | Sun., 10/24/04 | Cardinals/Red Sox G2 | FOX |
15.9/24
|
25.5 mil
|
9.0
|
| 2003 | Sun., 10/19/03 | Marlins/Yankees G2 | FOX |
12.6/20
|
20.6 mil
|
7.4
|
| 2002 | Sun., 10/20/02 | Giants/Angels G2 | FOX |
11.9/20
|
19.4 mil
|
6.6
|
| 2001 | Sun., 10/28/01 | Yankees/D’Backs G2 | FOX |
15.0/23
|
23.6 mil
|
8.4
|
| 2000 | Sun., 10/22/00 | Mets/Yankees G2 | FOX |
12.6/20
|
19.0 mil
|
n/a
|
| 1999 | Sun., 10/24/99 | Yankees/Braves G2 | NBC |
15.0/23
|
22.8 mil
|
n/a
|
| 1998 | Sun., 10/18/98 | Padres/Yankees G2 | FOX |
12.6/20
|
17.9 mil
|
n/a
|
| 1997 | Sun., 10/19/97 | Indians/Marlins G2 | NBC |
15.0/24
|
22.5 mil
|
n/a
|
| 1996 | Mon., 10/21/96 | Braves/Yankees G2 | FOX |
14.0/23
|
19.4 mil
|
n/a
|
| 1995 | Sun., 10/22/95 | Indians/Braves G2 | NBC |
19.4/31
|
29.4 mil
|
n/a
|
Source: TV By the Numbers
