World Series Game 2 ratings lowest on record

The World Series is on a record-low pace in the ratings.

Wednesday’s Nationals-Astros World Series Game 2 averaged a 7.1 rating and 11.93 million viewers on FOX, marking the lowest rated and least-watched Game 2 on record. The previous lows were 7.8 and 12.34 million for Tigers-Giants in 2012.

Ratings and viewership were the lowest for any World Series game since Giants-Royals Game 4 on a Saturday night in 2014 (6.3, 10.74M).

The Nationals’ blowout win, which peaked with 14.61 million from 10-10:15 PM ET, averaged the sixth-lowest rating and viewership in World Series history. The bottom five games aired on Saturday nights: Game 3 in 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2012 and Game 4 in 2014.

Game 2 declined 12% in ratings and 11% in viewership from Game 2 last year (Dodgers-Red Sox: 8.1, 13.46M) and 16% and 19% respectively from 2017 (Astros-Dodgers: 9.2, 15.50M).

Across all Fox Sports platforms, it averaged 12.41 million viewers (-12%).

Locally, the game had a 31.7 rating and 53 share in Houston — up 6% from Astros-Dodgers two years ago (30.0) but down 23% from White Sox-Astros Game 2 on a Sunday night in 2005 (41.3). Ratings declined 7% from Game 1 (34.1).

Washington D.C. turned in a 23.5/42, topping Game 1 (23.1) as the market’s highest for a baseball game since the 2001 World Series. By comparison, Game 2 of the Capitals’ 2018 Stanley Cup Final averaged a 13.3 on NBCSN.

In adults 18-49, Game 2 had a 2.9 rating (-12%) — tied as the second-lowest on record for any World Series game. It matched Game 3 in 2010 and topped only Game 4 in 2014 (2.6). It also drew a 2.0 in adults 18-34 (-13%).

A list of all World Series ratings dating back to 1972 is available here.

Lowest rated and least-watched World Series games

[Nielsen estimates from Fox Sports, Fox Sports PR 10.24]