We’ll get the Game 5 numbers tomorrow, but MLB and Fox are talking about the Game 4 ratings from Sunday. MLB says despite the “competition” from the NFL, the ratings for the Fall Classic were continually going up through four games. Let’s check this out.
WORLD SERIES RATINGS GROWINGThe 2010 World Series ratings are continuing to grow despite facing the toughest television competition of any major sports championship.Last night’s viewership of 15.54 million viewers was the highest total so far for the Series and brought the average household rating to 8.3. The average viewership of 14.12 million for the Series through four games is an increase of +8% when compared to the 2008 World Series which had teams of similar combined market size.In addition, the two cities that have never seen a World Series victory continue to watch in record fashion. San Francisco registered a 36.3 household rating which is nearly identical to Game 2 of the World Series which drew a 36.4, the highest rated baseball game in the market since Game 7 of the 2002 World Series. In Dallas, last night’s game averaged a 31.5 household rating, which ranks as the second most watched Rangers game ever in the market behind Game 1.
And we have this blurb from Fox on the ratings. Fox says it won the night which it did.
2010 WORLD SERIES CONTINUES TO PILE UP PRIME TIME WINS FOR FOXNetwork Projected To Register 17.6 Million Viewers; Most In Nine MonthsNew York, NY – Game 4 of the 2010 World Series earned an impressive 9.0/15 (15.5 million viewers) Sunday night on FOX, according to fast national ratings provided by Nielsen Media Research. Sunday night’s 9.0/15 kept the network’s World Series win streak alive as FOX, for the fourth time in as many games, won the night in prime time for total viewers.Based on the fast national rating for Game 4, plus preliminary ratings for FOX’s NFL overrun, The OT and the Game 4 pre-game, the network projects to average 17.6 million viewers for the night topping all other network programming. It is expected to be FOX’s best Sunday night viewership since last January’s NFC Championship Game broadcast.Viewing of Game 4 opened at a strong 9.6/16 and later peaked at a 9.9/19 (17.1 million viewers) for the final outs of the game as the San Francisco Giants took a 3-1 series lead over the Texas Rangers.Through four games the 2010 World Series is averaging an 8.3/14 (14.1 million viewers), +2% better on rating than 2008’s 8.1/14 (13.0 million viewers), making FOX the most-watched network in prime time since the World Series began. Compared to last year’s World Series which featured the more nationally popular Yankees and Phillies, through Game 4 Giants-Rangers is down -28% compared to 2009’s11.6/19.The four-game average rating (8.3/14) and viewership (14.1 million viewers) rank the 2010 World Series as one of the 10 highest-rated and most-watched shows in prime time last week. Those averages are set to improve with tonight’s Game 5 exclusively on FOX at 7:30 PM ET from Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, TX.San Francisco led all markets for Game 4 with a 36.3/62 followed by Dallas who recorded a 31.5/50.
There’s more stuff coming. Don’t leave yet!
