World Series Game 1 Hits Record Low Viewership
An Average of 9.17 Million Tuned In to Fox to Watch the Fall Classic Opener
A Historical Low
This year’s World Series ratings featuring the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Texas Rangers have been historically low. And now MLB rumors are circulating as to whether viewers are turned off by the teams involved or the sport itself.
It should be noted that a World Series matchup featuring two wildcard entries from smaller markets is not a harbinger of explosive television ratings. However, even the most modest viewership expectations fell far short as Game 1 attracted only 9.17 million viewers on Fox, Fox Deportes, and Fox’s streaming service.
Game 1 of the Rangers-Diamondbacks World Series was the least-watched ever.
The series opener drew 9.17 million viewers across FOX — less than the pandemic series in 2020. pic.twitter.com/n7z8c6dYf5
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) October 30, 2023
The previous low was 9.35 million for the Rays-Dodgers World Series of 2020 when the global pandemic gripped the planet. The Game 1 low for a non-pandemic year was 10.93 million viewers for the Braves-Astros in 2021.
And it was not as though Game 1 was without its moments as it had all the elements of a legendary World Series game. Texas stormed back in the bottom of the ninth inning, plating two runs off one swing of Corey Seager’s bat to tie the game before Adolis Garcia crushed a slow-breaking sinker over the right field wall in the bottom of the 11th inning to claim a 6-5 Game 1 victory for Texas.
One would think that alone would have been more than enough to captivate a crowd but the following night even fewer viewers showed up to watch Game 2 on Saturday night. Another dubious record would be broken when only 8.15 million viewers across the Fox platforms were reported, less than half the number of viewers for the NFL’s regular season contest between the Rams and the Cowboys the following day.
Diamondbacks’ Game 2 rout of Rangers is lowest rated, least-watched World Series game ever.
Previous low was Game 3 in the 2020 “bubble.”
Click image for article: https://t.co/Y4V4wV97Nz
— Sports Media Watch (@paulsen_smw) October 31, 2023
Game 3 Viewership Drop: MLB’s Future Adjustments
A piece of MLB news that will be of interest to everyone connected to the game is how the viewership numbers fared for Game 3 on Monday night. The lowest World Series ratings ever, regardless of the game number, came coincidentally in Game 3 of the 2020 World Series which saw just 8.34 million viewers tuned in to watch the Rays and the Dodgers do battle on the diamond.
Major League Baseball’s brass is hoping the lack of viewership is more of an indictment of the franchises competing than the game itself. But at the very least the rules committee has finally heard the hue and cry of fans who have been hoping that their beloved game would evolve with the times. Bigger bases, a pitch clock, and defensive shift limits were largely lauded as positive changes. Now if they can only implement the robo-ump, the game will truly be headed in the right direction.
I would literally marry a robo-ump at this point.
— Buxton⚾️⚾️Blonde (@triumphsofnat) August 23, 2022
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