MLB will love latest Yankees-Dodgers ratings update
Game 3 of this year's World Series saw a huge boost in viewership compared to last year. As the Los Angeles Dodgers clashed with the New York Yankees, the broadcast garnered 13.64 million viewers across Fox, Fox Deportes, and Fox Sports' streaming services, per Nielsen reports.
This viewership rating marks a 63% jump from last year's Game 3 matchup between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks, which drew in 8.13 million viewers.
Monday's Dodgers-Yankees showdown actually became the most-watched Game 3 since 2018, when the Boston Red Sox faced off against the Dodgers, attracting 13.3 million viewers .
Beyond taking the top spot as Monday's most-watched TV program, Game 3 also set a milestone as Fox's most-watched Monday primetime telecast since Game 5 of the 2013 World Series, where the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals drew in 14.45 million viewers.
This year's World Series between the Dodgers and the Yankees have shown impressive ratings
This year's World Series between the Dodgers and Yankees has drawn an average of 14.42 million viewers over the first three games, making it the most-watched World Series since 2017 across all networks.
Since 1986, this year's Game 3 marked only the ninth instance of a World Series game scheduled for a Monday night. It was also just the fourth time that it faced competition from "Monday Night Football" airing on network television.
In recent years, MLB championship ratings have experienced a downturn, hitting record lows since 2020. The last matchup between the Yankees and Dodgers occurred in 1981, and it's evident that these iconic teams, filled with talent, were just what the league required to reinvigorate interest in the World Series.
Saturday's Game 2 between the Dodgers and Yankees attracted 13.44 million viewers, with a peak of 16.35 million on Fox from 11 p.m. ET until the final out.
Last year was notable as it marked the first occasion the NFL outperformed the World Series on a Monday night. The Texas Rangers' 3-1 win against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 3 set a record low for World Series viewership, averaging just 8.13 million viewers.
Meanwhile, that same evening, Detroit's 26-14 triumph over Las Vegas attracted an average of 15.2 million viewers across ESPN, ABC, and ESPN Deportes.
It also stands as the most-watched Game 2 on Fox since 2018, when the Dodgers faced off against the Red Sox, bringing in 13.51 million viewers.
World Series impressive viewership even in Japan
In Japan, the World Series is drawing an impressive average of 15.15 million viewers over its first two games. Major League Baseball reports that the Dodgers' 4-2 win against the Yankees in Game 2 reached 15.9 million viewers, setting a record as the most-watched MLB postseason game in Japanese history.
In addition to the draw of superstar and likely NL MVP Shohei Ohtani , the game featured Yoshinobu Yamamoto as the Dodgers' starting pitcher.
The Dodgers have a chance to sweep the Yankees and secure the World Series title on Tuesday night in Game 4. If they succeed, viewership for the final game will likely match the impressive numbers from the first three games.
