Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a house run within the sixth inning throughout Sport 1 of the 2020 World Collection between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Tampa Bay Rays at Globe Life Discipline on Tuesday, October 20, 2020 in Arlington, Texas.
Kelly Gavin | Main League Baseball | Getty Pictures
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ look in Main League Baseball’s high occasion could not save the league from the impression of a sports activities viewership decline.
Sport One of many Dodgers’ sequence towards the Tampa Bay Rays attracted 9.1 million viewers, Fox Sports activities stated. The sport was essentially the most watched program on Tuesday but in addition turned the least-watched World Series game ever — or a minimum of since Nielsen started monitoring scores in 1968.
The final time viewership dipped beneath 10 million for a World Collection contest got here was Sport Three in 2008 when the Rays performed the Philadelphia Phillies (9.8 million viewers). That recreation was affected by a 90-minute rain delay.
The Dodgers took a 1-Zero sequence lead after an 8-Three win on Tuesday, because the staff seeks its first championship since 1988. The World Collection just isn’t shifting between the groups’ house stadiums as regular, however is happening at World Life Discipline in Arlington, Texas, as MLB switched to a bubble postseason after because of the coronavirus pandemic pandemic.
The final time the Dodgers reached the World Collection in 2018 towards the Boston Pink Sox, Sport One drew 13.8 million viewers. Final yr’s World Collection opener between the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros attracted 12.1 million viewers for the primary recreation.
The dugout reacts as Eduardo Nunez #36 of the Boston Pink Sox celebrates his three-run house run in the course of the seventh inning towards the Los Angeles Dodgers in Sport One of many 2018 World Collection at Fenway Park on October 23, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Elsa | Getty Pictures
On Tuesday, the community additionally reported 9.7 million viewers watched recreation seven of the Nationwide League Championship Collection on Fox and its FS1 channel. The Dodgers overcame a 3-1 sequence deficit to the Liberty Media-owned Atlanta Braves to advance to the World Collection.
By the use of comparability, Fox’s telecast of recreation seven of the 2017 American League Championship Collection that includes the New York Yankees and Houston Astros drew 9.9 million viewers.
Sport two of the World Collection is Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. Japanese time. The sequence takes a one-day break on Thursday earlier than resuming for recreation three on Friday.
