MLB gets a huge win as it beats the NFL in TV ratings on Sunday night
“The Walking Dead” might beat the NFL in ratings here and there, but it’s rare for another sport to go head-to-head against the NFL and win.
Major League Baseball must be feeling pretty good today.
According to Austin Karp of SportsBusiness Daily, the World Series Game 5 between the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians posted a monster 15.3 overnight rating, beating a good “Sunday Night Football” matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys. The Sunday night NFL game drew an 11.6 rating. It was a blowout. According to Sports Media Watch, it’s the first time since 2011 the World Series beat “Sunday Night Football” in the ratings.
It’s not like the NFL matchup was bad. It pitted two NFC East rivals, and NFC East games usually do very well in the ratings because of the markets. The Cowboys, who are probably the sport’s biggest television draw, won a thrilling game in overtime to improve to 6-1. It was perhaps the best game for the NFL all season, especially among the prime-time games. But it couldn’t beat MLB’s perfect storm.
The Indians were trying to clinch their first championship since 1948. The Cubs, who haven’t won a World Series since 1908 and hadn’t been in a World Series since 1945, are the best ratings draw the sport has had in many years. The Cubs won a tense game, the first time they have won a World Series game at Wrigley Field in 71 years.
It’s hard to beat that if you’re the NFL, no matter the matchup you have to go against it. The reasons don’t matter, however, it’s just another talking point for those who gleefully point out that NFL ratings are down this season.
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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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