An World Series opener marked by extra innings and technical difficulties scored a six-year high on FOX.
Game 1 of the Mets/Royals World Series drew a 10.5 overnight rating on FOX Tuesday night, up 31% from Giants/Royals last year (8.0), up 12% from Cardinals/Red Sox in 2013 (9.4), and the highest Game 1 overnight in six years — since Phillies/Yankees in 2009 (13.8). It was just the second Game 1 over that span to hit double-digits in the metered markets.
The Royals’ extra-inning win, which peaked at a 12.1 from 10:45-11 PM ET, tied the highest overnight for a non-clinching World Series game since Rangers/Cardinals Game 6 in 2011 (13.8), matching Red Sox/Cardinals Game 4 in 2013.
The FOX telecast was marred by technical difficulties, which briefly delayed the game and forced the network to use MLB Network’s international feed for parts of three innings. Ultimately, the technical difficulties likely had no impact on the numbers; only one at bat was missed.
Locally, Game 1 had a whopping 57.3 rating in Kansas City — up 19% from last year (48.2) and the highest for a World Series opener in any market since at least 1996. The 57.3 tops Super Bowl 49 in February, which had a 54.5 in the market.
The opener also had a 26.2 in New York, down 37% from the Mets’ last World Series opener in 2000 (41.6). An obvious caveat is that the 2000 World Series pitted the Mets against the Yankees, no doubt inflating the New York numbers. By comparison, Phillies/Yankees Game 1 in 2009 had a 29.7 in the market.
(Tue. numbers from Fox Sports, Deadline)
