The small-market World Series did nearly as well ratings-wise as the recent pair of big-market World Series in Game 1.
Game 1 of the 2026 Fall Classic between the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays drew a combined average of 12.2 million viewers on Fox and Univision, according to preliminary numbers acquired by Sports Business Journal’s Austin Karp. The game reportedly peaked at 13 million.
The final number will be available Tuesday afternoon.
For now, the 12.2 million number is a step back from the recent pair of World Series featuring the Los Angeles Dodgers, as Game 1 in 2024 against the New York Yankees drew 15.2 million while Game 1 in 2025 against the Toronto Blue Jays drew 13.3 million.
However, that number is still above some doom-and-gloom expectations brought on by a Fall Classic between teams in two of MLB’s smallest markets, and the best number since the ratings collapse brought on during the COVID-19 pandemic. By comparison, Game 1 of the 2023 World Series between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks drew a record-low 9.4 million.
There had been a bogus 15.2 million number floating around on social media Saturday, though that appeared to be brought on by an AI hallucination drawing from a Sports Media Watch comment section.
Game 1 saw the Brewers take a 1-0 lead over the Rays via a strong pitching performance from Jacob Misiorowski and the bullpen. That lead has since expanded to 2-0 after a four-run Brewers comeback on Saturday, with Milwaukee able to all but away the series in Game 3 on Monday.