World Series Scores Consistent Ad Dollars

While the average TV viewership of the World Series has drifted lower over the last few years, national TV ad dollars have remained fairly consistent.

On a per-game basis, the World Series on Fox has pulled in just north of $38 million over the past three years -- $38.2 million in 2012; $38.4 million in 2011; $38.2 million in 2010; $37.2 million in 2009; and $35.2 million in 2008.

Kantar Media says the Detroit Tigers-San Francisco World Series in 2012 -- a four-game series -- pulled $153 million for the entire sports event. The year before that -- Texas Rangers -St. Louis Cardinals -- took in $268.8 million for a full seven-game series.

In 2010, Texas-San Francisco, in five games, grabbed $191.2 million. The New York Yankees-Philadelphia Phillies series in 2009 -- six games long -- amassed $223.6 million. The year before that --Tampa Bay Rays-Philadelphia Phillies -- had a $176.2 million total for five games.

Kantar says the average 30-second commercial for a World Series game has remained fairly constant in the last four years: $450,000 in 2012; $421,000 (2011); $447,000 (2010); $457,000 (2009); and $400,000 (2008).

Viewership-wise, Brad Adgate, senior vice president and director of research for Horizon Media, says that although last year’s World Series was the lowest-rated ever -- 12.6 million viewers and 8.7 million households -- it still fared much better than Fox does in prime time.

By comparison, Adgate says Fox is averaging 5.8 million viewers and 4.1 million households in prime time this season.  While last year’s World Series averaged an adults 18-49 rating of 3.7 -- the lowest in over 20 years  -- it is almost double what Fox has been averaging this season in prime time -- 1.9.

World Series ratings in 2011 averaged 16.6 million viewers; 14.3 million in 2010; 19.4 million in 2009; and 13.4 million in 2008

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