Sunday, November 1, 2026

MLB Wild-Card Round Sets TV Ratings Record

  • Nine-game series averages 2,832,000 viewers, up 25% from 2023.
  • The Mets’ Game 3 win was ESPN’s most-watched game since 2021.
Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Want more from Front Office Sports
in your search results?

Add Front Office Sports on Google

The Mets’ roller-coaster ride through the first round of the MLB Playoffs helped drive ESPN to record wild-card TV audiences.

This year’s nine-game 2024 Wild Card Series averaged 2.82 million viewers across ESPN, ESPN2, and sister Disney network ABC. That made it the most-watched wild-card series ever. It was up 25% from last year and 1% from 2022.

The Mets’ come-from-behind win over the Brewers in Thursday night’s decisive Game 3 was a key driver of the record numbers. New York’s 4-2 win averaged 4.02 million viewers—peaking at a hefty 5.75 million around 9:45 p.m. ET.

That made it ESPN’s most-watched MLB game telecast since the Red Sox’s win-or-go-home wild-card victory over the Yankees in 2021. The Mets moved on and will play the arch-rival Phillies in the National League Division Series.

In the modern wild-card series era, the Mets have played in the five most-watched games, according to Sports Media Watch: the final two games against the Brewers this year and all three games against the Padres in 2022.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for the
Tuned In Newsletter

Get the latest sports media scoops & insights straight to your inbox once a week.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Latest Lamar Jackson Injury Complicates Ravens Contract Status

The quarterback suffered a thumb injury on the Ravens’ first play.

NFL Owners Haven’t Fired a Coach Yet: ‘It’s Coming,’ Agent Says

The league hasn’t gone this long without a coaching change since 2017.

Valkyries Win WNBA Title in Second Season

It’s the last Finals appearance for WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert.

Robert Griffin III Says He’s Spoken With Baylor About Coaching Job

The former Heisman winner says college coaching is about being a CEO.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

10/30/26 – First WNBA Game 7, Utah Targets Kalshi Founders, Cowboys Cheerleaders Unionize

0:00

Featured Today

How Injuries Hit Pro Marathoners in the Wallet

Staying healthy can get expensive—quickly.
Football - NFL - Houston Texans v Jacksonville Jaguars - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - October 18, 2026 The necklace of a Jacksonville Jaguars fan outside the stadium before the match
October 21, 2026

Die-Hard Sports Fandom Has Reached the Afterlife

Will fans pay $6,000 to memorialize their team loyalty?
October 20, 2026

Why Europe Is Pumping Out NBA Superstars

The NBA and NCAA have an increasingly European flavor.
October 15, 2026

College Flag Football Is Outgrowing Its DIY Era

Women have been building the college game themselves at the club level.
Oct 5, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas arrives at the arena before the Penguins host the Winnipeg Jets at PPG Paints Arena
October 12, 2026

NHL’s New Wave of GMs Is Built Different

“I am in the prediction business,” Devils GM Sunny Mehta tells FOS.
November 2, 2025

ESPN Still Dark on YouTube TV As ‘MNF’ Looms

ABC and ESPN’s college football slate was blacked out Saturday.
Oct 31, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) and pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) and pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) celebrate with the Commissioner's Trophy in the clubhouse after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre.
November 5, 2025

World Series G7 Audience Count Final: 51M Across U.S., Canada, Japan

The average global audience for Game 7 surpassed 51 million viewers.
Sponsored

How the New York Yankees Stay Game-Ready with Sage Intacct

See how Sage Intacct helps the Yankees streamline finances and plan for the future.
October 31, 2025

Frozen Frenzy Ratings Climb 20% Despite Scheduling Complaints

The hockey event posts a 20% viewership bump, despite World Series competition.
October 31, 2025

YouTube TV Loses ESPN, ABC Just Before Big Sports Weekend

More than 20 channels go dark on the No. 4 U.S. pay-TV distributor.
Rich Paul
Exclusive
October 31, 2025

Rich Paul, Max Kellerman in Talks for Show With The Ringer

“The Ringer” sold to Spotify in 2020.
Oct 28, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) throws his bat after hitting a two run home run as Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) looks on during the third inning of game four of the 2025 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium.
October 30, 2025

World Series Game 5: Largest Jays Audience Ever on Canadian TV

Canadian viewership continues to be a major storyline of the World Series.