The 2020 World Series was one of the most unique in history, with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays playing in a bubble in Arlington, Texas. Despite the unprecedented circumstances, the series still managed to draw in millions of viewers. However, the average viewership of the series was the lowest in TV history.
According to Nielsen ratings, the average viewership of the 2020 World Series was 8.4 million viewers, down from 10.7 million viewers in 2019. This marks a 22% decrease in viewership from last year’s series, and is the lowest average viewership since the World Series began being televised in 1947.
The decrease in viewership can be attributed to a variety of factors. For one, the series was played during a pandemic, which likely kept some viewers away. Additionally, the series was played in a bubble, meaning that fans were not able to attend the games in person. This may have also kept some viewers away, as watching a game without fans is not the same experience as watching one with a packed stadium.
The low viewership of this year’s World Series is certainly a disappointment for Major League Baseball. However, it is important to note that this year’s series was still one of the most watched television events of 2020. It was also the most watched World Series since 2017, when the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers drew in an average of 14.9 million viewers.
It remains to be seen if the low viewership of this year’s World Series will have an effect on future series. However, it is clear that the unique circumstances of this year’s series had an impact on viewership numbers. Hopefully, as the world continues to recover from the pandemic, Major League Baseball will be able to bring back fans to stadiums and draw in more viewers for future World Series games.
