U.S. Viewership for World Series Plummets 14%, Canada Sets Records

UPDATE: Viewership for the first two games of the World Series has plunged by 14%, with only 12.5 million U.S. viewers tuning in compared to last year’s matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees. This alarming drop was confirmed by Major League Baseball (MLB) on Tuesday, emphasizing a stark contrast as Canadian and Japanese audiences set new records.

The first two games aired on Fox, Fox Deportes, and the Fox Sports app, revealing that last year’s initial games averaged 14.55 million viewers. The opener this year, featuring the Toronto Blue Jays’ 11-4 victory, attracted 13.3 million viewers, while the Dodgers’ 5-1 win in Game 2 averaged 11.63 million, excluding Univision coverage. These figures indicate a significant decline in U.S. interest, marking the lowest ratings since the 2016 World Series.

In a surprising twist, the combined viewership for the opener across the U.S., Canada, and Japan reached 32.6 million, the highest since the Chicago Cubs ended their 108-year title drought in 2016. Canadian audiences showed remarkable engagement, with 7 million viewers for Game 1 and 6.6 million for Game 2, making these the two most-watched Blue Jays games ever on Sportsnet, a division of Rogers Communications Inc.

Furthermore, the opener was broadcast with French-language commentary on TVA Sports, attracting 502,000 viewers, setting a new record for that network. In Japan, the opener drew an average of 11.8 million viewers on NHK-G, marking the most-viewed World Series game in Japan on a single network. Game 2’s viewership averaged 9.5 million on NHK-BS, leading to a two-game average of 10.7 million in Japan.

These statistics highlight a crucial moment for MLB as it grapples with declining domestic viewership while simultaneously experiencing a surge in international interest. The two-game average across the U.S., Canada, and Japan stands at 30.5 million, showcasing the global appeal of the World Series despite local challenges.

As Major League Baseball assesses these trends, fans and analysts alike are left wondering what steps will be taken to revive interest in the U.S. market. The next games promise to be pivotal, and all eyes will be on the ratings as the World Series unfolds. Stay tuned for the latest updates as this story develops.