For only the second time in history, the World Series failed to attract even 7% of U.S. television households.
Game 3 of the Giants/Rangers World Series drew a 6.7 final rating and 11.460 million viewers on FOX Saturday night, down 26% in ratings and viewership from Game 3 last year (NYY/PHI: 9.1, 15.397 mil), but up 10% and 17%, respectively, from Game 3 in 2008 (TB/PHI: 6.1, 9.836 mil).
Both Game 3 last year and Game 3 in 2008 began late due to rain delays. In fact, this year’s game ended (9:52 PM ET) before the 2008 game began (10:06 PM).
This marks the second-lowest rated, second-least viewed World Series game in history, ahead of only the aforementioned 2008 Game 3. The first three games of the Giants/Rangers series rank among the seven lowest-rated World Series games ever.
To put these numbers in perspective, Game 3 drew a lower rating and fewer viewers than the NFL Pro Bowl on ESPN in January (7.1, 12.297 mil). The game also drew a lower rating than the NFL Hall of Fame Game on NBC in August (6.8), although it attracted slightly more viewers (11.438 mil).
No NBA Finals game has drawn less than a 7.0 rating since 2007, and no NCAA Final Four telecast has dipped below 7.0 since 2003. Only two BCS bowls have ever gone below 7.0 — the 2009 Orange Bowl (5.4) and the 2010 Orange Bowl (6.8).
Incredibly, Saturday’s Game 3 drew fewer viewers than Game 6 of the Giants/Phillies NLCS exactly one week earlier (6.7, 11.639 mil). That game started at 7:57 PM ET, as opposed to a 6:57 PM start for Game 3.
While FOX and MLB officials were no doubt hoping that the series would grow from Game 1 (8.9, 15.009 mil), the opposite has taken place. This is the third straight year that ratings and viewership for the World Series have dropped from Game 1 to Game 2 to Game 3.
There is one consolation for FOX and MLB, however. In each of the past three years, the World Series has hit a series-low for the Saturday night Game 3 before bouncing back to a series-high for the Sunday night Game 4.
Saturday’s game drew a 30.0 in the Bay Area, down 18% from Game 2 (36.4), and down 6% from Angels/Giants Game 3 in 2002, which aired on a Tuesday night (32.0).
In Dallas-Ft. Worth, the game drew a 26.9, down 13% from Game 2 (30.9). Mirroring the national trend, ratings have declined from game-to-game in Dallas.
Through three games, FOX is averaging an 8.1 rating and 13.7 million viewers for the 2010 World Series, down 26% in ratings and 24% in viewership from last year (10.9, 17.9 mil), but up 5% and 11%, respectively, from 2008 (7.7, 12.3 mil).
Though it is highly unlikely that it will finish as the lowest rated World Series of all time, the Giants/Rangers series is on pace to end up a fairly close second.
