Take out last year’s anomaly, and World Series TV ratings are trending at an eight-year high.
Friday’s Dodgers-Astros World Series Game 3 had a 10.4 overnight rating on FOX, down 16% from Indians-Cubs last year (12.4) but up 14% from Royals-Mets in 2015 (9.1).
The 10.4 overnight is the second-highest for Game 3 of the World Series since Yankees-Phillies in 2009 (10.8), with the caveat that Game 3 aired on a Saturday night from 2007-13. Outside of last year, no other Game 3 has exceeded a 9.1 over that span.
The World Series is now averaging a 10.6 rating in the metered markets — down 12% from last year (12.1) but up 9% from 2015 (9.7). The 10.6 trails only last year as the best three-game average since 2009 (12.7).
Game 3 delivered a 33.3 rating in Houston, down 26% from White Sox-Astros Game 3 in 2005 (45.3). It had a 24.2 in Los Angeles, down 25% from the market’s last World Series Game 3, Angels-Giants in 2002 (32.3). Compared to other L.A. championship series, the Kings’ Stanley Cup Final Game 3 in 2014 had a 6.4 rating (on cable) and the Lakers’ NBA Finals Game 3 in 2010 had a 28.3.
[Fri. numbers from Fox Sports PR/Twitter 10.28, Houston Chronicle’s David Barron/Twitter 10.28]
