Ratings Roundup: Fox Notches Highest-Rated World Series Since 0 rough Two Games

Fox Sports' coverage of the 2015 World Series is averaging an 8.7/16 and 14.5 million viewers, the highest-rated two-game average since 2011 (8.8/14) and most-watched since 2010 (14.6 million). Through the first two games, the World Series is up 14% in rating and up 16% in audience over last year's two game averages (7.6/13, 12.5 million).

World Series Game 1 Highlights

Fox Sports' telecast of the Royals epic 14-inning Game 1 victory drew a 9.0/17 household rating/share, with 14.9 million viewers, making it the highest-rated World Series Game 1 since 2009 (11.9/19, Phillies-Yankees) and most-watched World Series Game 1 since 2010 (15.0 million, Giants-Rangers), according to fast national figures released today by Nielsen. The game was up up 23% in rating and 22% in audience compared to Giants-Royals Game 1 last year (7.3/12, 12.2 million). 40.6 million viewers watched all or part of last night's thrilling game.

Ratings peaked at a 10.4/18, with 17.3 million viewers from 10:45-11:00 PM ET. The first nine innings of the game averaged a 9.1/16, with 15.2 million viewers from 8:04-11:30 PM ET, and held fairly steady through the five extra innings (8.9/21, with 14.4 million viewers) from 11:30 PM ET-1:02 AM ET.

The broadcast posted increases across key demos including: M18-34 (4.7 vs. 3.9, 21%); M18-49 (6.0 vs. 4.3, 40%); M25-54 (6.8 vs. 5.0, 36%); A18-49 (4.6 vs. 3.4, 35%). From 8:04-11:00 PM ET, FOX averaged an 8.9/15, with 14.9 million viewers, which projects to be the network's best prime time performance on a Tuesday since February 2012. The World Series powered FOX to a first place household finish in prime time (preliminary): FOX 8.9/15; CBS 7.8/13; NBC 4.7/8; and ABC 2.5/4. FOX also won the night in prime time among Adults 18-49 (4.4). Initial tune-in was a 6.3/11 with 10.3 million viewers from 8:04-8:15 PM ET.

Locally, Kansas City led all markets with a 57.3 rating, followed by New York (26.2). The rating in Kansas City is the highest recorded for a single market for a World Series Game 1 since at least 1996. St. Louis (16.1), Hartford (14.4), Tulsa (11.8), West Palm Beach (11.3), Denver (10.7), Milwaukee and Phoenix (10.5), and Las Vegas (10.4) round out the top 10.

World Series Game 1 is FOX Sports GO's most-viewed MLB game and the second most-viewed event of all-time on an authenticated basis with more than 177,000 unique streamers.

World Series Game 2 Highlights

According the fast national figures release this afternoon by Nielsen, Game 2 posted an 8.2/14 household rating/share, with 13.7 million viewers, a 4% increase in rating and 6% in average audience compared to Game 2 a year ago (Giants-Royals, 7.9/14, 12.9 million), making it the most-watched World Series Game 2 since 2011 (Rangers-Cardinals, 14.3 million).Ratings and audience peaked at a 9.5/15, 15.8 million viewers from 9:45-10:00 PM ET. FOX averaged an 8.4/14, with 14.0 million from 10:15-10:30 PM ET then jumped back up to a 9.0/15, with 15.0 million from 10:30-10:45 which coincided with the conclusion of the GOP Debate.

The World Series powered FOX to its second consecutive first place household finish in prime time (preliminary): FOX 8.2/14; CBS 4.7/8; NBC 4.1/7; and ABC 3.8/6. FOX also won the night in prime time among Adults 18-49 (3.9) and Adults 18-34 (3.0). FOX averaged an 8.2/14 and 13.7 million viewers in prime time (8:04-11:00 PM ET), which projects to be the network's best performance for a Wednesday night since March of 2015.

Kansas City again led all markets with a 56.6 rating, followed by New York (21.3). St. Louis (17.5), Hartford (12.6), Richmond (10.8), Tulsa (10.0), Greensboro (9.9), Denver and Milwaukee (9.3), and Las Vegas (9.1) round out the top 10 rated markets.

The Spanish-language telecast on FOX Deportes posted 183,000 viewers, and peaked in the 9:30-9:45 PM ET quarter hour at 260,000 viewers.

NBA Opening Night on TNT

TNT's exclusive Opening Night doubleheader featuring the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Chicago Bulls and New Orleans Pelicans vs. Golden State Warriors delivered a gross audience of six million total viewers, according to Nielsen Fast Nationals. The audience for the network's opening night doubleheader is up 28% over last year. The doubleheader also generated double-digit growth across all key demos including an 18% increase in People 18-49.

The Cavaliers/Bulls telecast averaged 3.5 million total viewers and a 2.1 U.S. HH rating, increases of 52% and 40% over the comparable game last year. The Cavs/Bulls telecast - peaking with an average of 4.2 million total viewers from 10:15-10:30 p.m. ET - propelled TNT to win the night in prime time across all of cable television, based on metered market delivery. Locally, the Cavs/Bulls game earned a 16.8 HH rating in Cleveland and an 8.8 HH rating in Chicago.

The second game of the doubleheader - the NBA Champion Warriors hosting the Pelicans - generated an average of 2.5 million total viewers and a 1.5 U.S. HH rating with viewership up 4% over the network's comparable game last year. The Pelicans/Warriors game garnered an 8.9 in the Bay Area - the highest-ever rating for a regular season Warriors game on TNT in the market - and a 3.6 in New Orleans.

The Opening Night doubleheader also delivered significant audience growth across Turner's TV Everywhere platforms including a 202% increase in unique visits and gains of 145% in minutes consumed and 110% in video starts. Additionally, content across the NBA on TNT, NBA TV and NBA.com social accounts generated over 61 million impressions and two million video views, up 8% and 18% respectively over last year.

Odds and Ends

Through seven weeks of the 2015 NFL regular season, THE NFL ON CBS is averaging 19.0 million viewers (Persons 2 ), 9% from last year's 17.5 million viewers. This year's 19.0 million viewer

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