Game 6 of the 2011 World Series earned one of the largest Major League Baseball audiences in recent years.
Thursday’s Rangers/Cardinals Game 6 earned a 12.7 final rating and 21.060 million viewers on FOX, down 5% in ratings and 6% in viewership from 2009 (PHI/NYY G6: 13.4, 22.339), and down 9% in both measures compared to 2003 (FLA/NYY G6: 13.9, 23.240M).
Compared to the last non-clinching Game 6 of the World Series (SF/ANA G6: 11.8, 19.221M), this year’s game was up 8% and 10%, respectively.
The Cardinals’ extra-inning win ranks as the highest rated non-Yankee World Series game since 2005 (CHW/HOU G4: 13.0), and the most-viewed since 2004 (BOS/STL G4: 28.844M).
Again excluding games involving the Yankees, this marks the first time since 2007 that any World Series game has earned a double-digit rating or topped 20 million viewers (BOS/COL G4: 12.6, 20.946M).
Game 6 averaged an 11.8 rating and 19.4 million viewers from 8:00-11:00 PM ET. The remainder of the game, which ended in the 11th inning on a walk-off home run, averaged a 14.3 and 23.9 million. The peak half-hour was 12:00-12:30 AM ET, when the game averaged a 15.0 and 25.2 million.
Among adults 18-49, Game 6 earned a 6.5 rating — down 13% from 2009 (7.4) and down 15% from 2003 (7.6). Excluding Yankee games, the 6.5 is the highest World Series rating in the demographic since 2007 (BOS/COL G4: 7.1).
Thursday’s game drew a higher rating and more viewers than the NCAA Tournament title game (CONN/BUT: 11.7, 20.055M, CBS), the Daytona 500 (8.7, 15.597M), four of five Bowl Championship Series games (including the Rose Bowl), and five of six NBA Finals games.
Excluding the NFL, only two other sporting events this year have drawn better numbers than Thursday’s game — Game 6 of the NBA Finals (DAL/MIA G6: 13.3, 23.880M, ABC) and the BCS National Championship Game (AUB/ORE: 15.3, 27.316M, ESPN).
The game does not rank quite as highly among adults 18-49. Five of the six NBA Finals games drew at least a 6.5 in the demo (Game 6 drew a 9.7), the NCAA Tournament title game earned a 7.1, and the BCS National Championship Game scored a 10.1.
Locally, Game 6 earned a 49.4 rating in St. Louis. There was no comparable game of the 2006 Cardinals/Tigers World Series.
In Dallas-Ft. Worth, the Rangers’ near-miss drew a 47.1. There was no comparable game of last year’s Giants/Rangers World Series. Game 6 of this year’s Mavericks/Heat NBA Finals earned a 39.8 rating in the market, and Game 6 of the 2006 Heat/Mavericks series scored a 39.6.
Through six games, the 2011 World Series is averaging a 9.3 rating and 15.3 million viewers on FOX, up 11% in ratings and 7% in viewership from last year’s five-game Giants/Rangers series (8.4, 14.3M), but down 21% in both categories compared to the 2009 Yankees/Phillies series (11.7, 19.4M).
Most-Viewed World Series Games on FOX (Excluding Yankee Games)
|
#
|
Date
|
Game
|
#
|
Series
|
Net
|
U.S. Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Sun., 10/27/02 | SF 1, ANA 4 |
7
|
ANA 4-3
|
FOX |
17.9
|
30,814
|
|
2
|
Wed., 10/27/04 | BOS 3, STL 0 |
4
|
BOS 4-0
|
FOX |
18.2
|
28,844
|
|
3
|
Sun., 10/24/04 | STL 2, BOS 6 |
2
|
BOS 2-0
|
FOX |
15.9
|
25,463
|
|
4
|
Tue., 10/26/04 | BOS 4, STL 1 |
3
|
BOS 3-0
|
FOX |
15.7
|
24,422
|
|
5
|
Sat., 10/23/04 | STL 9, BOS 11 |
1
|
BOS 1-0
|
FOX |
13.7
|
23,168
|
|
6
|
Thu., 10/27/11 | TEX 9, STL 10 |
6
|
TIE 3-3
|
FOX |
12.7
|
21,060
|
|
7
|
Sun., 10/28/07 | BOS 4, COL 3 |
4
|
BOS 4-0
|
FOX |
12.6
|
20,946
|
|
8
|
Wed., 10/26/05 | CHW 1, HOU 0 |
4
|
CHW 4-0
|
FOX |
13.0
|
19,979
|
|
9
|
Sun., 10/20/02 | SF 10, ANA 11 |
2
|
TIE 1-1
|
FOX |
11.9
|
19,368
|
|
10
|
Sat., 10/26/02 | SF 5, ANA 6 |
6
|
TIE 3-3
|
FOX |
11.8
|
19,221
|
(This year’s numbers from Fox Sports Media Group via TV By the Numbers; additional information from TV By the Numbers)
