The viewership of the World Baseball Classic championship game reflected the magnitude of its stories.
The Japanese team’s 3-2 win over the United States averaged 4.48 million viewers on Fox Sports 1, compared to 5.2 million viewers combined with Fox Deportes and streaming services, it was announced on Wednesday.
According to the Sports Business Journal, FOX Sports 1’s 4.48 million viewers were higher than all but three games in the American and National League Divisions in 2022, and also surpassed the average audience for Game 5 of the National League Championship Series. Phillies vs. Padres – When Bryce Harper gave Philadelphia the lead with a two-run homer in the eighth inning and extended an amazing postseason run to the World Series.
According to The Athletic, the 2017 WBC final between the United States and Puerto Rico averaged 3.1 million viewers across ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and MLB Network, up two million from the 2013 championship game between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic were.
The WBC championship game, a rematch of a 2017 semifinal, featured MLB stars Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout, Trea Turner, Yu Darvish and others.
The World Baseball Classic between Japan and the United States averaged 4.48 million viewers on Fox Sports 1.Getty Images
It also included a ninth inning in which Ohtani struck out Trout, his Angels teammate, to clinch the title, throwing off his glove and hat in celebration.
According to Front Office Sports, the fifth edition of the WBC generated strong participation and viewership for teams including Japan (with 62 million viewers from the country watching the match against Korea) and Puerto Rico (with 62 percent of households tuning in they saw). Dominican Republic).
Japan finished undefeated through the 2023 WBC, with Ohtani earning the MVP award after hitting .435 – with four doubles and a homer – in seven games and a 1.86 ERA.
Shohei Ohtani and Japan defeated the United States in the World Baseball Classic.Getty Images
Ohtani has won both of his starts, and got the save against the USA on Tuesday.
The United States managed to make it to its second straight tournament game, losing to Mexico, 11-5, despite finishing second in its pool.
The championship will return again in 2026, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said.