Friday September 22, 2023
The Best Employers in Sports Survey is Now Open!

World Series TV Viewership Nearly Reached All-Time Low

  • Astros-Phillies was the second least-watched World Series on record.
  • UGA-Tennessee beat all six World Series game telecasts.
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Front Office Sports Today

Could Promotion-Relegation work in College Football?

The proposal aims to create an exciting media product while reducing travel for non-football sports.
Listen Now
September 21, 2023 | Podcast
Linkedin
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

Viewership numbers indicate Major League Baseball’s showcase event still faces big challenges.

Outside of the neutral-site 2020 World Series during the COVID pandemic, Astros-Phillies was the least watched World Series on record, according to Sports Media Watch.

Fox and MLB would argue this year’s TV viewership was positive given the challenge of overcoming Astros fatigue. 

This was the fourth time in the last six seasons the Astros played in the Fall Classic. Many baseball fans still resent Houston for their 2017 sign-stealing scandal that eventually cost general manager Jeff Luhnow and team manager A.J. Hinch their jobs.

“A reliable 20+ hours of viewership every Fall that’s over 30% better than anything but the NFL seems pretty good to me,” tweeted Fox executive Mike Mulvihill. “The World Series remains a force in primetime TV and an important contributor to Fox’s status as the leader in live sports viewing.”

Yet, the Fall Classic had trouble competing head-to-head against college football, too.

Tennessee-Georgia Football Drew More Viewers than World Series

It drew 13.1M average viewers — this season’s most-watched college football game.
November 8, 2022

Fox’s Game 6 telecast on Saturday was actually out-rated by CBS Sports’ coverage of the big Georgia-Tennessee game — drawing more than 13 million viewers for a lopsided Bulldogs win.

  • The 12,550,000 viewers for Game 6 made it the least-watched Game 6 on record, according to SMW. 
  • UGA-Tennessee beat all six World Series game telecasts. 

The full series averaged 11,784,000 viewers, which is down only 1% from the Atlanta Braves’ six-game win over the Astros last year.

And this was still the most-streamed World Series in Fox history, with an Average Minute Audience (AMA) of 232,307, up 2% compared to last year.

Linkedin
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Deion Sanders and The Rock

Deion Sanders Reshaping College Football Fanbase With Buffaloes Surge

Deion Sanders has made Colorado "Black America's Team."

Royals Miss Self-Imposed Deadline To Select Stadium Site

Ongoing discussions with Jackson, Clay Counties prompt timetable shift
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is tripped up by New York Jets defensive end Solomon Thomas in the second quarter at AT&T Stadium.

NFL Viewership Sees 2% Increase in First Two Weeks of 2023 Season

The NFL is experiencing its highest viewership since 2018.
Sponsored

How Daktronics Helps Elite Athletic Programs Secure Top Talent

How colleges are utilizing Daktronics' displays to elevate recruiting.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

Could Promotion-Relegation work in College Football?

0:00
0:00

Featured Today

Teams without secured venue situations could be left out of a potential XFL-USFL merger.

XFL-USFL Merger Could Drop Teams, Change League Name

Teams without secured venues could be cut from a XFL-USFL merger.
September 21, 2023

Rupert Murdoch's Exit Leaves Lasting Fox Sports Legacy

Rupert Murdoch steps down as chairman of Fox Corp. and News Corp.
Could ESPN lose events such as the NBA Finals if it sold ABC.
September 21, 2023

Selling ABC Poses Billion-Dollar Dilemma for Disney and ESPN's Future

Losing ABC would create complications as ESPN enters NBA rights negotiations.
Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty (2) runs the ball against the North Dakota Fighting Hawks during the first half at Albertsons Stadium.
exclusive
September 20, 2023

The First Official Proposal for Promotion-Relegation In College Football

Realignment is forcing Group of 5 schools to rethink their structure.

Careers

Powered By

Careers in Sports

Looking for a new job? Check out these featured listings and search for openings all over the world.
Chicago Cubs
Chicago
Fanatics
New York
Tri Star Sports and Entertainment Group, Inc.
USA - Multiple Locations
NBC will reportedly pay $287 million annually across five years to air broadcast on USA Network.

NBC Inks WWE SmackDown Rights for Reported $1.4 Billion

The reported rights fee is about 40% higher than SmackDown's Fox deal.
September 20, 2023

Can Amazon Keep Up NFL Viewership Boost After Record Week 1?

The San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants face off on Thursday night.
September 19, 2023

WBD Pursues ‘Different’ Strategy For Sports on Max

Company to place all of its live sports on new streaming tier
Deion Sanders
September 19, 2023

Colorado's Epic Victory Sets New ESPN Prime Time Viewership Record

Coach Prime Deion Sanders delivered in prime time on ESPN.
Joe Buck and Troy Aikman
September 18, 2023

'Monday Night Football' Returns To ABC Amid Entertainment Breakdown

ABC will simulcast 15 regular season "Monday Night Football" games.
September 15, 2023

DSG Looks To Use NHL Kings Deal As Reorganization Model

Agreement arrives as bankrupt RSN operator nears deadline for reorganization plan
September 14, 2023

Netflix Fatigue May Be Hitting Sports Docuseries

Netflix cameras won't have full access at the Ryder Cup.
September 14, 2023

NBA Cracks Down On Player Rest Ahead of Multi-Billion Dollar Rights Talks

NBA rest days will be regulated as league prepares for rights talks.