For the first time since 2007, overnight ratings for Game 2 of the World Series improved from the series opener.
The Rangers’ Game 2 win over the Cardinals earned a 10.0 overnight rating on FOX Thursday night, up 1% from last year (TEX/SF G2: 9.9), but down 27% from 2009 (PHI/NYY G2: 13.6).
Excluding Saturday night games, Game 2 earned the fourth-lowest overnight rating on record for a World Series game. Only Phillies/Rays Game 2 in 2008 (9.2), Rangers/Cardinals Game 1 on Wednesday (9.6) and Rangers/Giants Game 2 in 2010 (9.9) drew lower numbers.
That said, this marks the first time since Red Sox/Rockies in 2007 that overnight ratings have risen from Game 1 to Game 2 of the World Series.
Since 2000, final ratings for Game 2 of the World Series have declined between 7% and 17% from the overnight (last year’s game declined by 14%). That puts Thursday?s game on pace to finish in the 8.3-9.3 range.
For some perspective, Game 2 of the Mavericks/Heat NBA Finals earned a 10.5 overnight rating on ABC, also on a Thursday night.
Game 2 earned a 49.4 rating in St. Louis, up 4% from Cardinals/Tigers Game 2 in 2006 (47.5).
In Dallas-Ft. Worth, Thursday’s game earned a 34.4 rating — up 11% from Rangers/Giants Game 2 last year (30.9). By comparison, Game 2 of this year’s Mavericks/Heat NBA Finals drew a 25.6 rating in the market, and Game 2 of the 2006 Heat/Mavericks series drew a 33.9.
(This year’s numbers from Sports Business Daily)
