U.S. Viewership Drops 14% for World Series Opening Games

URGENT UPDATE: Viewership for the first two games of the World Series has plummeted by 14% compared to last year’s matchup. The Los Angeles Dodgers faced off against the Toronto Blue Jays, attracting an average of 12.5 million U.S. viewers on networks including Fox and Univision, down from 14.55 million in 2022.

The latest report from Major League Baseball (MLB) reveals that while U.S. numbers declined, Canadian and Japanese audiences broke records during the opening games. The combined total of 32.6 million viewers across the U.S., Canada, and Japan marks the highest viewership since the Chicago Cubs’ historic win in the 2016 World Series.

Game 1 on October 15 drew 13.3 million viewers as the Blue Jays triumphed over the Dodgers with a score of 11-4. Game 2 saw the Dodgers securing a 5-1 win, averaging 11.63 million, excluding Univision’s audience. Last year’s opening game, featuring a dramatic 10-inning win for the Dodgers, reached 15.2 million viewers, the most-watched Series game since 2019.

In Canada, Game 1 attracted 7 million viewers, while Game 2 pulled in 6.6 million, both marking the highest viewership for Blue Jays games on Sportsnet. The games also reached French-speaking audiences, drawing 502,000 viewers on TVA Sports, setting a new record for the network.

Japan also saw significant engagement, with Game 1 averaging 11.8 million viewers on NHK-G, making it the most-watched World Series game on a single network in the country. Game 2 averaged 9.5 million on NHK-BS, leading to a two-game average of 10.7 million in Japan.

As the World Series continues, fans and analysts are closely monitoring viewership trends. The decline in U.S. numbers raises questions about audience engagement and the future of baseball’s premier event. With the series still ongoing, many are eager to see if viewership can rebound in the coming games.

Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops.