A compelling Game 2 that went down to the wire brought a good audience for Game 2 of the 2011 World Series. The audience was 14.3 million and brought Fox an 8.9 rating and a 14 share. That’s 5% higher than last year’s Game 2 rating which ended at an 8.5/14 and 14.1 million viewers. The win by the Texas Rangers evening the Fall Classic ensuring a five game series. If the games continue like the first two in St. Louis, then we could see an extended series and higher ratings. There is the promise.
Fox also notes that by the time the 9th inning rolled around, there was an audience of about 20 million viewers. And the network won the primetime ratings in the 18-34 and 18-49 demographic.
We have the press release from Fox.
2011 WORLD SERIES GAME 2 VIEWERSHIP RISES 5% FROM 2010
Almost 20 Million Watch Rangers Dramatic Ninth Inning Comeback
FOX Earns Second Consecutive Prime-Time VictoryThe Texas Rangers staged a dramatic ninth-inning, come-from-behind rally last night to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1 in Game 2 of the 2011 World Series, knotting the series at 1-1, and almost 20 million people watched it unfold on FOX.
World Series Game 2 scored a strong 8.9/14 household rating/share, with 14.3 million viewers, +5% higher compared to Game 2 of the 2010 World Series (8.5/14, 14.1 million viewers), and ties for the highest-rated program for the night according to fast national ratings released by Nielsen Media Research.
This is the first time since the 2002 World Series – the last seven-game series – that the first two Fall Classic games have been decided by one-run and the first time in four years that Game 2 rated higher than Game 1. Through the first two games, the 2011 World Series on FOX is averaging an 8.8/14 with 14.2 million viewers, up +1% over last year’s 8.7/15 (14.6 million viewers).
The World Series powered FOX to a first place finish in prime time for the second straight night averaging an 8.7 in households (8:00 – 11:00 PM ET) beating CBS (7.8), ABC (4.8) and NBC (1.9). Last night’s ratings win gave the network its best Thursday night rating since the May 19 edition of American Idol and for the second straight night awarded FOX a prime-time victory among Adults 18-49 (3.9) and Adults 18-34 (3.4). Since 1996, FOX Sports has televised 70 World Series games and won the night in households 60 times (86%).
Last night’s broadcast opened with a 6.2 (9.7 million viewers) from 8:00-8:30 PM ET and grew steadily throughout the night, peaking at an 11.8 with 19.4 million viewers as the Rangers rallied from 11:00-11:11 PM, dwarfing the second most-watched show of the night (Big Bang Theory, 14.7 million) by 32%.
St. Louis once again led all markets averaging a 49.4/66, while Dallas placed second averaging a postseason high 34.4/53, +1% from Game 1 and +11% compared to 2010 WS Game 2 (30.9).
Regional interest for the Cardinals and Rangers remains strong, driving above average viewership in several peripheral markets: Kansas City (15.3/24), Milwaukee (10.8/16) Memphis (12.3/18); Austin (15.8/26), San Antonio (14.5/21) and Oklahoma City (11.1/17).
The action shifts to the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, TX on Saturday with exclusive coverage of Game 3 on FOX beginning at 7:30 PM ET.
And we have Major League Baseball’s press release on the World Series ratings.
WORLD SERIES RATINGS GROW WITH ANOTHER CLOSE GAME
World Series Drives FOX to Two Straight Primetime Wins
The 9th inning comeback win by the Texas Rangers over the St. Louis Cardinals in Game Two of the World Series resulted in an increase in television ratings from Game One and from last year. Game Two of the 2011 World Series generated an 8.9 U.S. household rating, which is +5% versus last year’s Game Two (8.5).
Game Two drove FOX to another primetime win as the highest rated network on television. It also marked the best Thursday night on FOX since an episode of American Idol in May.
Through two games, the 2011 World Series is averaging an 8.8 U.S. household rating, which is +1% versus last year’s average of 8.7, despite a dramatic difference in the size of the National League market. Texas’s opponent last year, the San Francisco Giants hailed from a market (2.52 million TV homes) that is more than twice the size of this year’s National League pennant winner, St. Louis (1.25 million homes).
Last night’s game continued the trend of dramatic Postseason games this year marking the 12th one-run game of the Postseason*, tying the record set in 1995 and equaled in 1997 and 2003.
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*This does not include the two ALCS extra-inning contests won by the Rangers by more than one run thanks to a pair of home runs by Nelson Cruz that accounted for a combined seven runs.
And that’s it.
