The Most Watched World Series In 7 Years Still Finished 30% Behind The 2016 Cubs

Hollywood Reporter - The 2024 World Series goes in the books as the most watched Fall Classic since 2017.

The Los Angeles Dodgers completed their five-game series win over the New York Yankees with 7-6 win Wednesday. Fox Sports outlets (the broadcast network, Fox Deportes and streaming services) averaged 18.6 million viewers for the game, also a seven-year high for a World Series game five. The main Fox broadcast drew 18.15 million viewers.

Klemmer's a much better source for TV rating discussion so I'll reserve the broader conversation to his expertise. And I mean that sincerely - he knows his shit inside and out when it comes to this stuff.

For now I just want to highlight that the World Series viewer-numbers are starting to come out and the big takeaway is that the Cubs need to be in the World Series every year. Of all the biased and homer-bullshit takes I can offer, this might be the most objective and legitimate observation. 

It's simple: 

The series as a whole averaged 15.81 million viewers across all platforms, making it the biggest World Series since the Houston Astros’ seven-game victory over the Dodgers in 2017 averaged 18.93 million. 

This year’s series delivered the fourth largest audience for Major League Baseball’s championship since 2010, trailing only the 2016 (22.85 million viewers), 2017 and 2011 (16.52 million) editions. All three of those series went a full seven games.

Just rounding up - Yankees/Dodgers averaged 16M viewers compared to the Cubs/Cleveland getting 23M. 

And just to be clear, the Yankees and Dodgers are valued at #1 and #2 in MLB franchises, with the Red Sox and Cubs flip flopping around the 3/4 spot. And obviously the Guardians are somewhere near the bottom. So using common sense, you could say the Cubs in a World Series will do TV ratings somewhere around 30% higher than the two biggest clubs in the sport? 

Makes you wonder/realize just how much potential exists at Wrigley.

And sure a lot of that is because they hadn't won a title in 108 years, but it's also because the Cubs fan base consists of people that don't leave the family room television 10 months a year. That's just having classic midwest family values and it plays up big time when there's playoff baseball. 

Again, 108 year drought certainly adds urgency to the broadcast, but does that account for a near 7,000,000 increase ON AVERAGE? 

Also keep in mind that the Dodgers have a monopoly on Japanese distribution. So you have to consider that this year's numbers have a big reach into the Far East, only strengthening the argument that the Cubs are somehow still undervalued. 

Whether or not Tom Ricketts is smart enough to realize this seems doubtful. And even more doubtful when you listen to Jed Hoyer talk about budgets and intelligent spending and outperforming expectations. Nothing in the organizational tone (or messaging) even remotely indicates a willingness to go above and beyond to capture the unrealized global potential. Which is essentially nothing short of complete and utter trash. 

Does that mean Juan Soto is a good signing at $700M? I don't know or really care other than we aren't good enough right now. There isn't enough talent and quality play to even compete in the NL's cheapest division. Watching the Dodgers roll out multiple hall of famers surrounded by multiple homegrown all star caliber players surrounded by multiple veterans that would cut off an arm for another championship... watching that juggernaut only reinforces the distance between average and great MLB clubs. And right now the Cubs are so far behind that I can't even really joke about it because it hurts my feelings too much. So instead I'll complain. 

It's bullshit to be this popular and (simultaneously) underserved by Cubs leadership. It makes me sick and the only prescription is dual-increase to urgency and reckless spending. 

Now someone please wake Tom up from his pre-lunch nap and explain all this shit to him.