The push for afternoon games during the World Series seems likely to result in fewer eyeballs.
From 1972 to 1987, 31 World Series day games averaged 18.5 million households (the equivalent of a 16.1 rating today) and 31.2 million viewers on NBC and ABC. By comparison, 65 World Series night games during that period averaged 22.7 million households (the equivalent of a 19.8 rating) and 37.7 million viewers.
Typically, the day games were among the lowest rated in a given series. In 1972, five World Series games aired during the day — Games 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7 — and those games were the five lowest rated of the 7 game series. Games 3 and 4, in primetime, even managed to outrate Game 7 (although Game 7 drew more viewers).
In 1975, the two day games during the Reds/Red Sox World Series each drew less than 25 million viewers — while the least-viewed night game drew over 34 million.
Of the 13 World Series from ’72-’87 that had day games, the lowest rated game in 12 of those series took place during the day. The only exception was ’87, when the 20.9 rating for a Saturday afternoon Game 6 was the second-lowest of the series.
Overall, 17 of the 18 least-viewed World Series games from ’72 to ’87 took place during the day.
Data excludes three night games (Game 2 in ’76, Game 6 in ’81, and Game 7 in ’86).
Source: Nielsen Wire
