Least Watched World Series Ever.

[nsentv]

FOX got baseball in 1996. The only World Series they've aired that had a rating higher than 12.6 were 1996, 1998, 2001 and 2004. That's pathetic. Bud Selig is an idiot, and if he re-signs with FOX, I don't know what I'll do.

People looked at last year's World Series ratings and said that baseball was back. Well, maybe not quite yet. According to Media Life Magazine, this will end up being the lowest rated World Series, breaking 2002's record, and this will be the least watched World Series, breaking 2000's record. In fact, since the year 2000, only the '01 and '04 World Series had decent (MLB) ratings. And 2001 was the 9/11 series, and possibly the best one ever. Last year, the Red Sox won it. Those two got great ratings by default.

In my opinion, no matter what network aired it, CHW/HOU wasn't going to be a ratings bonanza. However, on NBC, or heck, even ABC, the ratings might have been decent (not to mention the coverage). Certainly, FOX airs a lot of baseball come playoff time. However, do they even come close to promoting their baseball games during shows like 'House' and 'Bones', the way they promote those shows during the baseball?

You can't count on Yankees-Red Sox every year. Try promoting the other teams once in a while.

P.S., here's the list of the four lowest rated World Series ever.

2005 - FOX CHW-HOU (Four Games)

2002 - FOX ANA-SFG (Seven Games)

2000 - FOX NYY-NYM (Five Games)

2003 - FOX FLA-NYY (Six Games)

[yh]

Is it fair to heap the blame entirely on Fox or could it be, seeing as the four lowest rated WS's have occurred in the last six years, that the nation's interest in baseball is simply on the wane?

[Seadragon76]

That's the problem. Unless the Yanks or Red Sox are in the World Series, then most people just think it's worthless to watch the World Series because the teams that brought them in aren't there.

Even if they did promote the other teams, everyone will still only care about the Yanks and Red Sox.

[HatCityEnforcer]

That's the problem. Unless the Yanks or Red Sox are in the World Series, then most people just think it's worthless to watch the World Series because the teams that brought them in aren't there.

Even if they did promote the other teams, everyone will still only care about the Yanks and Red Sox.

DING!

We have a winner, folks....

And you're exactly right...even if you did build up teams outside of the Yanks and Sawks, it'd be a tough sell (well, unless ya had either of em facing the Cards or Cubs) to the rest of the country...

Notice that 2 of those lowest rated Fall Classics involved the Yanks.

2000 was a VERY hard sell to anyone outside of the Tri-State...

2003..well, it would have been THROUGH THE ROOF if not for the Cubs implosion in Games 6 & 7 vs. Florida.

To be honest, all those series listed were pretty entertaining for the most part...shame most of the viewing public could care less unless it involves certain teams

[-Helix-]

Pft. Just be happy the World Series is on a major network at all.

Us hockey fans however have to watch the first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals on the fluffing OUTDOOR LIFE NETWORK. Which practically nobody gets anyway.

[CS85]

The best world series I ever saw was the 2001 d-backs yanks 7 gamer. that was some amazing stuff, how often in a lifetime do you see a game winning hit in the world series against the evil empire?

[Cujo]

how often in a lifetime do you see a game winning hit in the world series against the evil empire?

More often than you see a 3-0 series comeback on the Yanks in the ALCS.

[CS85]

Last years ALCS was the most amazing championship series I ever saw. The most unbelievable one I witnessed was the 2003 cubs collapse against the billfish. That was utter amazement followed by weeks of pondering why I was a fan of the damn team to begin with. That was a dark time.

[Audiodrama]

Last years ALCS was the most amazing championship series I ever saw.

Amen, brother.

[Lumbergh]

well this year's series sucked ass. I watched about 12 net minutes because i'd rather see martha stewart and some little interns run crap, then see astros- chisox. THE WORST WS. EVER. That was probably why nobody watched. I'm not even gonna count that ws as a ws. Hey, i don't care who's in the series( red sox would be nice) but as long as it's a great fought out series with high tension, hard playing, controversy, and toughness. I've enjoyed great series that did'nt include the yanks and bosox:

1. Jays- Phillies

2. Indians-Marlins

3. Angels-Giants

etc.

but the chisox and stros was a HUGE let down. Maybe if um...STUFF actually happened in the games i would be happy. But it blew, just another FOX promo with baseball on the side. I don't turn on the game to see the oc cast in the stands or some hack actor trying to turn his career around with a new film fox is advertising. Gimme a break, maybe if we go back to nbc baseball with Bob Costas i'll give a damn about the chisox and stros.

[CS85]

well this year's series sucked ass. I watched about 12 net minutes because i'd rather see martha stewart and some little interns run crap, then see astros- chisox. THE WORST WS. EVER. That was probably why nobody watched. I'm not even gonna count that ws as a ws.

It was a :censored:ty series. Nobody likes a sweep, and it wasn't even an ass-kicking stompfest, it was dinky dunk small ball. Which is nice and traditional, but c'mon. I'm not going to watch 14 innings of snoreball. That extra inning game was hell. Boring series.

[TBGKon]

rating may go up slightly if they change game times to starting weekday games about 730 PM eastern time, Saturday games at 2 pm and Sunday games at 7, so games dont go really late

[Cujo]

Ratings will go through the roof when the Cubs finally make the series.

[nwtrailtrekker]

supris suprise, two teams less heard in the media, that don't have attention grabbing players, in a sweep, i wonder why it was the lowest watched series...

[Andy]

well this year's series sucked ass. I watched about 12 net minutes because i'd rather see martha stewart and some little interns run crap, then see astros- chisox. THE WORST WS. EVER. That was probably why nobody watched. I'm not even gonna count that ws as a ws. Hey, i don't care who's in the series( red sox would be nice) but as long as it's a great fought out series with high tension, hard playing, controversy, and toughness. I've enjoyed great series that did'nt include the yanks and bosox:

1. Jays- Phillies

2. Indians-Marlins

3. Angels-Giants

etc.

but the chisox and stros was a HUGE let down. Maybe if um...STUFF actually happened in the games i would be happy. But it blew, just another FOX promo with baseball on the side. I don't turn on the game to see the oc cast in the stands or some hack actor trying to turn his career around with a new film fox is advertising. Gimme a break, maybe if we go back to nbc baseball with Bob Costas i'll give a damn about the chisox and stros.

Um, are you sure you watched the same games everyone else did? Because I thought it was a great series. Scott Posednik's HR? The longest WS game in history? Roy Oswalt falling apart? Juan Uribe making two great plays to end game 4? Game 4, which by the way, was 1-0.

I thoroughly enjoyed the series, despite it being a sweep (Last year's Red Sox taught me to never count out a good team), and I'm not even a baseball fan.

[EagleFan344]

Ratings will go through the roof if the Cubs finally make the series.

I fixed it for you

[EagleFan344]

Pft. Just be happy the World Series is on a major network at all.

Us hockey fans however have to watch the first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals on the fluffing OUTDOOR LIFE NETWORK. Which practically nobody gets anyway.

How many games will be nationally televised and what channels?

Do you get playoff hockey with the Center Ice package?

[VandyDelphia Mike]

Gimme a break, maybe if we go back to nbc baseball with Bob Costas i'll give a damn about the chisox and stros.

How can the network broadcasting a game make someone care more about the teams playing within a series?

Either you're a fan of a team, and don't care what network is showing the game, or you're a fan of a certain network's coverage, and would watch the network regardless of the teams involved.

If there's a link between the two, it's weak at best ...

[VandyDelphia Mike]

rating may go up slightly if they change game times to starting weekday games about 730 PM eastern time, Saturday games at 2 pm and Sunday games at 7, so games dont go really late

Those weekend times are great in theory, but I guess MLB doesn't want to compete head-on with afternoon college football on Saturdays, and late NFL football on Sundays.

Yeah, the World Series does wind up competing against prime-time college football, but they can at least have the satisfaction of the game being broadcast in prime time.

As for earlier Sunday starts, the ends of football games would overlap with the start of the WS game, and if you don't get the eyeballs on your game from the start, it may be tougher to draw them in later on ...

[gashouser27]

It was an exciting series for a sweep (better than last year).

I think tbe problem is with the Fox promo campaign..I mean it is like watching the Yankee-Red Sox network all summer..

Plus most baseball fans i know hate Fox and i think they are not as intense about watching the games..

Also the games start at 9 o'clock Eastern time and after Jeannie Zelasko a lot of people want to poke their own eyes out..A lot of people don't watch because they know it will be the six inning at eleven o'clock..How many people on the east coast watched the end of game three?

Bud get a clue!