Nov. 3 (Bloomberg) -- Television ratings for the Philadelphia Phillies’ win over the New York Yankees last night were 5 percent lower than for Game 4 the previous evening.
The fifth game in the best-of-seven World Series was seen in an average of 12.8 percent of U.S. households in the top 50 television markets, News Corp.’s Fox Sports said in a news release, citing Nielsen Media Research.
Game 4 of the Series, which the Yankees won, was seen in an average of 13.5 percent of U.S. television homes, making it the highest-rated World Series game since 2004, when the Boston Red Sox clinched their first title in 86 years.
Last night’s game still pulled in ratings 15 percent higher than for Game 5 a year ago, when the Phillies clinched the Major League Baseball title in a contest spread over two days because of rain.
The decline in ratings this year from Game 4 may have reflected competition from the “Monday Night Football” game between the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints on Walt Disney Co.’s ESPN network.
The Phillies beat the Yankees 8-6 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, narrowing New York’s Series lead to 3-2. Game 6 is scheduled for tomorrow at Yankee Stadium, where New York will attempt to clinch its record-extending 27th title.
