x
Breaking News
More () »

Dodgers, Rays draw record-low World Series TV audience

The 2020 World Series opened with a record-setting performance, and not in a good way.

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Los Angeles Dodgers' victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 drew a record-low audience of television viewers for a World Series game.

Los Angeles' 8-3 win received a 5.1 rating and 11 share, and was seen by an average of 9,195,000 viewers on Fox from 8:06 p.m. to 11:41 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, Nielsen Media Research said Wednesday.

The previous low had been set the only other time the Rays were in the World Series, when their 5-4 loss to Philadelphia in Game 3 in 2008 was viewed by an average of 9,836,000 that Oct. 25, a Saturday night.

RELATED: Live: Rays hope to bounce back against Dodgers in Game 2

RELATED: Dodgers take Game 1 of World Series over Rays, 8-3

Until now the low for a Game 1 had been San Francisco's 7-1 win over Kansas City on Oct. 21, 2012, viewed by an average of 12,191,000 on a Tuesday night.

Washington's 5-4 victory over Houston in last year's opener was seen by an average of 12,283,000 on Oct. 22, also a Tuesday night.

Still, Fox won the prime time evening with its best performance on a Tuesday night since Game 6 of last year's World Series.

The rating is the percentage of television households tuned in to a broadcast. The share is the percentage viewing a telecast among those households with TVs on at the time.

Credit: AP
Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts scores past Tampa Bay Rays catcher Mike Zunino on a fielders choice by Max Muncy during the fifth inning in Game 1 of the baseball World Series Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Before You Leave, Check This Out