The Texas Rangers’ 5-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the World Series may have been a momentous occasion for the team, but it failed to captivate the hearts of viewers. In fact, the recently concluded Fall Classic witnessed the lowest ratings in recorded TV history. According to Nielsen and Fox, the World Series averaged a mere 9.11 million viewers, a significant drop from the 9.79 million average in 2020, when the Los Angeles Dodgers claimed victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in six games. This disappointing figure marked a 23% decline from the viewership of last year’s series, which garnered an average of 11.78 million viewers. While Wednesday night’s game managed to draw an average of 11.48 million viewers, representing a 3 million increase from Tuesday night, the overall numbers still fell short. In total, across Fox, Fox Deportes, and Fox streaming platforms, the World Series pulled in 11.64 million viewers. Although it was the first time this year’s series surpassed the 10 million viewer mark, the underwhelming overall ratings cannot be ignored.
One possible explanation for the declining viewership is attributed to the lack of national appeal from the participating teams, the Texas Rangers and the Arizona Diamondbacks. With the absence of popular franchises, it was expected that viewership would take a hit. Furthermore, the expanded playoffs resulted in the series showcasing teams with lower-ranking records – the seventh and eleventh best, to be exact. Although Fox executives found some silver lining in having new pennant winners and champions, the absence of established brand names took a toll on the ratings. Mike Mulvihill, Fox EVP, Head of Strategy and Analytics, acknowledged the short-term challenge of pairing up brands that do not have traditional national appeal. Hence, this year’s World Series faced an uphill battle in terms of attracting viewers.
Apart from the lackluster matchup, other factors also contributed to the decline in viewership. Bob Thompson, the retired president of Fox Sports Networks and current consultant, pointed out the schedule and the length of the series as potential culprits. The decision to start the series on a Friday night, historically known for having the lowest viewership, might have had a negative impact. Additionally, blowout games that lacked excitement and suspense likely led to viewers tuning out early. It is a common trend that whenever there is a chance for a team to clinch the championship, viewership tends to spike. However, in this year’s World Series, the excitement was somewhat dampened by the quick five-game series.
While the ratings for the World Series might have hit an all-time low, it still outperformed other entertainment programs. This has been the trend for the past eight years, as the World Series consistently emerges as the most-watched event. Although it faced stiff competition from “Monday Night Football” when the Detroit Lions triumphed over the Las Vegas Raiders, the World Series managed to beat out all other entertainment programs on four out of five nights. The ever-present hope and expectation for the World Series is to dominate the entertainment landscape and deliver a drawn-out, nail-biting series. Though this year did not fulfill the latter, the World Series still managed to reign supreme in prime time.
Despite the declining ratings, there is a glimmer of hope for baseball. The implementation of the pitch clock and shorter game times resulted in a 7% increase in ratings for regional sports networks during the regular season. Out of the 29 U.S.-based teams, 16 witnessed improvement in their ratings. Furthermore, national regular-season ratings saw an uptick for Fox/FS1 and TBS, while ESPN’s ratings remained stagnant. These positive changes indicate that there may still be room for growth and improvement in future baseball events.
The decline in World Series ratings can be attributed to various factors such as the lack of national appeal from the participating teams, the short series length, and competing entertainment programs. Nevertheless, the World Series managed to outperform other entertainment programs and showcased glimpses of potential growth. While the challenges cannot be ignored, the future of the World Series and baseball as a whole still holds promise for captivating audiences and delivering thrilling moments on the grandest stage.
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