All-California Fall Classic a ratings bust

World Series Ratings Yearly national ratings for the World Series, as compiled by Nielsen Media Research. Year Network Rating Share 2002 Fox  10.8*  19* 2001 Fox 15.7 25 2000 Fox 12.4 21 1999 NBC 16.0 26 1998 Fox 14.1 24 1997 NBC 16.8 29 1996 Fox 17.4 29 1995 ABC/NBC 19.5 33 1993 CBS 17.3 30 1992 CBS 20.2 34 1991 CBS 24.0 39 1990 CBS 20.8 36 1989 ABC 16.4 30 1988 NBC 23.9 39 1987 ABC 24.0 41 1986 NBC 28.6 46 1985 ABC 25.3 39 1984 NBC 22.9 40 1983 ABC 23.3 41 1982 NBC 28.0 49 1981 ABC 30.0 49 1980 NBC 32.8 56 1979 ABC 28.0 51 1978 NBC 32.7 56 1977 ABC 29.9 52 1976 NBC 27.7 48 1975 NBC 29.0 53 1974 NBC 25.6 47 1973 NBC 30.7 57 1972 NBC 27.5 58 1971 NBC 24.2 59 1970 NBC 19.4 53 1969 NBC 22.4 58 1968 NBC 22.8 57 * Preliminary rating for first three games The rating is the percentage of households with televisions watching a program and the share is the percentage watching a program among those with televisons in use.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Record-high offense is producing record-low ratings in the World Series.

The all-California matchup between the San Francisco Giants and Anaheim Angels has generated two of the three lowest-rated Series games in history.

Anaheim's 10-4 victory on Tuesday night got a 10.8 national rating, the lowest ever for the third game of the Series, Nielsen Media Research said Wednesday.

The rating fell 30 percent from last year's 15.4 between Arizona and the New York Yankees, which went up against Michael Jordan's comeback game to the NBA.

Last year's Series Game 3, won by the Yankees 2-1, also included President Bush throwing out the first pitch, which helped generate a large audience for the start of the game.

The rating for this year's game peaked at 13.0 between 9:30-10 p.m. EDT and fell after that as the Angels took a big lead.

"In addition to the regional matchup dampening overall viewership, Game 3 in particular, was negatively influenced by the Angels taking an early 8-1 lead," Fox Sports president Ed Goren said.

The last regional Series, the 2000 all-New York matchup between the Yankees and Mets, got a 12.4 rating for Game 3.

Through three games, this year's World Series is averaging a 10.8 rating, down 22 percent from the 13.8 last year and 11 percent from the 12.1 in 2000.

There have been a record 13 homers and 42 runs scored in the first three games. Two of the games were decided by only one run.

The low ratings could force Fox to give advertisers make-good ads to make up for the small audiences. Fox is in the second year of a six-year, $2.4 billion contract with baseball.

Even though last year's World Series went seven games, its 15.7 rating was the third-lowest ever, ahead of only the 2000 Series (12.4) and the Yankees' four-game sweep of San Diego in 1998 (14.1).

The opener of this year's Series got a record-low 9.4 rating followed by an 11.9 for Game 2. The record-low before this year was the 10.4 for last year's opener, which beat the 11.3 for Game 1 in 1997 between Cleveland at Florida.

"The bottom line is Games 1 and 2 were two of the top 13 shows in prime time last week, and Fox finished first each night a World Series game was played," Goren said.

The Los Angeles market had the highest rating for Game 3 at 32.3, slightly ahead of San Francisco's 32.0. Ratings were considerably lower in the East, with New York getting a 10.7 rating, Chicago an 11.1 and Atlanta an 11.0.

Even though ratings are down, all three games gave Fox prime-time victories.

 

Related information

Stories

Game 1 World Series rating sets record low LCS ratings down 7 percent; Fox up 19 percent

Multimedia

Visit Video Plus for the latest audio and video