Major League Baseball's postseason has seen a notable increase in viewership this year, with an average of 3.33 million viewers tuning in for the league championship series, an 18% increase from last year. The division series also saw a rise in viewership, averaging 3.56 million viewers for 18 games, a 14% increase from the previous year.
The increase in ratings for the division round can be attributed to several factors, including two series that went to the deciding game and the involvement of popular teams like the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers. The NLDS Game 5 between the Dodgers and San Diego Padres drew an impressive 7.5 million viewers, making it the most-watched division series game since 2017. Similarly, the deciding game between the Cleveland Guardians and Detroit Tigers was the most-watched division series matchup in a day game window in 17 years.
Fox and FS1 saw their highest numbers since postseason baseball began airing on FS1 in 2014, with an average of 4.09 million viewers for the National League games. TNT Sports also saw strong viewership, averaging 3 million for the ALDS series games on TBS and TNT.
Overall, the increase in viewership for the MLB postseason is a positive sign for the league, indicating a continued interest in the sport among fans. With exciting matchups and popular teams driving up ratings, the postseason has proven to be a success in terms of attracting viewers and keeping them engaged.