Daily Archives: October 21, 2011
Top 15 Most Watched World Series Since 1973
Reggie Jackson and Bucky Dent of the 1978 World Series Champion New York Yankees (inhistoric.com)
The 1978 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers is the most watched (viewed on TV) series since viewership was calculated beginning in 1973.
The Yankee vs. Dodgers 1977 World Series comes in sixth. Both teams have the most appearances on the board below – four. The Oakland A’s and Cincinnati Reds are next, with three.
Of the 15 most watched series, more than half (eight), involve a team from the northeast of the country.
There are some definite surprises, though. How about the 1979 Pirates-Orioles contest placing fifth? How, too, about the Minnesota Twins, who have been on the precipice of non-existence multiple times, and the small-market Kansas City Royals showing up twice. That’s pretty nice.
| YEAR | AVG | WINNERS | LOSERS | |||
| 1. | 1978 | 44.3 M | New York Yankees | 4 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 2 |
| 2. | 1980 | 42.3 M | Philadelphia Phillies | 4 | Kansas City Royals | 2 |
| 3. | 1981 | 41.4 M | Los Angeles Dodgers | 4 | New York Yankees | 2 |
| 4. | 1982 | 38.1 M | St. Louis Cardinals | 4 | Milwaukee Brewers | 3 |
| 5. | 1979 | 38.0 M | Pittsburgh Pirates | 4 | Baltimore Orioles | 3 |
| 6. | 1977 | 37.2 M | New York Yankees | 4 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 2 |
| 7. | 1986 | 36.4 M | New York Mets | 4 | Boston Red Sox | 3 |
| 8. | 1975 | 36.0 M | Cincinnati Reds | 4 | Boston Red Sox | 3 |
| 9. | 1991 | 35.7 M | Minnesota Twins | 4 | Atlanta Braves | 3 |
| 10. | 1987 | 35.3 M | Minnesota Twins | 4 | St. Louis Cardinals | 3 |
| 11. | 1973 | 34.8 M | Oakland A’s | 4 | New York Mets | 3 |
| 12. | 1976 | 34.7 M | Cincinnati Reds | 4 | New York Yankees | 0 |
| 13. | 1985 | 34.51 M | Kansas City Royals | 4 | St. Louis Cardinals | 3 |
| 14. | 1988 | 34.49 M | Los Angeles Dodgers | 4 | Oakland A’s | 1 |
| 15. | 1990 | 30.2 M | Cincinnati Reds | 4 | Oakland A’s | 0 |
