• by Wayne Friedman , October 31, 2019

Despite a slow start, the 2019 World Series TV ratings rose steadily on Fox to earn its best results with the seventh and final game.

Nielsen says the final game, which the Washington Nationals won 6-2 over the Houston Astros, pulled in 21.2 million viewers.

The previous six games posted 12.2 million viewers (Game One); 11.9 million (Game Two); 12.2 million (Game Three); 10.2 million (Game Four); 11.4 million (Game Five); and 16.4 million (Game Six).

The seven-game series -- in which the Washington Nationals claimed their first ever World Series title -- averaged 13.6 million viewers, down 4% from the World Series a year ago.

Major League Baseball’s World Series has been trending down over the last several years. Last year's World Series -- a five-game series where the Boston Red Sox beat the Los Angeles Dodgers  -- earned an average 14.1 million viewers -- the fourth-least watched World Series on TV on record.

TV viewership for Game Seven of this year’s World Series bested all World Series games of a year ago.

Analysts note that TV viewer interest in the World Series going a full seven games typically generate higher viewership toward the final games.

A World Series lasting the full seven days also means a big advertising revenue benefit for the network. This year iSpot.tv estimates Fox pulled in around $253.9 million in national/regional advertising revenues -- up from $215.8 million a year ago.

Fox has had the TV rights to the World Series since 2000.