The 2025 World Series is seeing some of the best viewership numbers in a decade. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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With a 3-2 lead, the Toronto Blue Jays can clinch the World Series tonight. Continuing a trend that has been evident throughout the season, Major League Baseball is experiencing increased interest. Numbers, not only in the U.S. and Canada, are robust, but internationally, where Japan is seeing record numbers. But, breaking it all down, maybe the real winner is FOX Sports, which is reaping in hundreds of millions of dollars in ad revenue.
Will it be Trick or Treat for the Toronto Blue Jays tonight? Not since 1993 has Canada’s lone MLB franchise been to a World Series, let alone win one. With Game 6 (coverage begins at 7 pm ET on FOX) landing on Halloween, FOX will have the yin and yang of some viewers missing early innings to take kids out, while some may rush to get that out of the way and see what happens at Rogers Centre.
No matter what, FOX Sports is the beneficiary. While last year’s matchup between the Yankees and Dodgers wound up pulling in an average of 15.808 million across FOX, FOX Deportes, and streaming, and was the highest since 2017, the series only went 5 games. Imagine if it had gone further. Still, according to Sportico, FOX is on target to make at least $274 million in total in-game ad revenue if the Blue Jays win tonight. That would increase to more than $330 million if the series reaches Game 7.
Before we delve into this year’s numbers, it’s essential to note some changes in Nielsen’s methodology that now project them. This year, measuring includes viewership outside of households, such as bars and restaurants. Nielsen has also leaned into what they describe as “Big Data,” which now comprises smart televisions and set-top boxes. Those numbers were excluded from past average viewership, which is going to skew the numbers more positively this year for the World Series. That will play out next year when comps are essentially the same.
Through Game 5, the World Series is averaging 13,143,200 across FOX, FOX Deportes, and streaming. For just FOX, the series is averaging 12,726,400. That makes it the second-best since 2018, trailing only last year’s World Series through five games.
With the Blue Jays in the mix, understandably, Canadian viewership has been through the roof. While not measured by Nielsen, according to Rogers’ Sportsnet, the World Series is seeing records being smashed. Game 5 was the most-watched Blue Jays World Series game, ever, with 7.2 million average viewers. The series is averaging 6.4 million viewers through Game 5. At some stage during the World Series broadcasts, 19.3 million Canadians have tuned in.
https://x.com/SportsnetPR/status/1983965525693886542
When adding in Japan, viewership for the series has seen some of the largest combined viewership numbers in MLB history. Game 1 saw the largest combined audience for an MLB game from those three countries since Game 7 of the 2016 World Series.
In Japan, despite a 9 a.m. local start time, Game 1 averaged 11.8 million viewers on NHK-G, making it the most-watched World Series game ever in Japan on a single network and the third most-watched World Series game overall.
Other U.S. viewership notes:
The Game 3, 18-inning epic saw an average of 11,157,000 on FOX, but based on how Nielsen measures, they only count during the time FOX sold ads for. For Game 3, FOX only sold ads through the 14th inning. But according to FOX’s Mike Mulvihill, 8 million viewers were still watching the broadcast at the end of the game.
Game 1 peaked on FOX at 14,082,000 viewers between 10:15-10:30 pm ET
Game 2 peaked on FOX at 13,672,000 viewers between 10:45-10:46 pm ET
Game 3 peaked on FOX at 13,170,000 viewers between 11:30-11:45 pm ET
Game 4 peaked on FOX at 16,695,000 viewers between 10:00-10:15 PM ET
Game 5 peaked on FOX at 16,034,000 viewers between 10:00-10:15 PM ET
For reference, here are recent past World Series and their respective U.S. average viewership:
- 2024 — 15.808 million, 5 games for L.A. Dodgers-N.Y. Yankees (Fox + Fox Deportes + streaming)
- 2023 — 9.29 million, 5 games for Texas-Arizona (Fox + Fox Deportes + streaming)
- 2022 — 12.02 million, 6 games for Houston-Philadelphia (Fox + Fox Deportes + streaming)
- 2021 — 12.2 million, 6 games for Atlanta-Houston (Fox + Fox Deportes + streaming)
- 2020 — 9.79 million, 6 games for L.A. Dodgers-Tampa Bay
- 2019 — 13.91 million, 7 games for Washington-Houston
- 2018 — 14.13 million, 5 games for Boston/L.A. Dodgers
- 2017 — 18.9 million, 7 games for Houston/L.A. Dodgers