HOLLYWOOD (CNS) - Fox's World Series coverage average a record-low 9.758 million viewers, according to live-plus-same-day figures released this week by Nielsen.
The previous record-low was 12.64 million viewers for the San Francisco Giants' four-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers in 2012.
Each of the first five games of the Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays averaged fewer viewers than any World Series game on record before this year. All six games set record-lows for their games.
The Dodgers' 8-3 victory over Tampa Bay in Game 1 on Oct. 20 averaged 9.268 million viewers, erasing the previous low of 10.219 million for Game 4 of last year's Series between the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros.
The Rays' victory 6-4 in Game 2 the following day drew even less, 9.105 million viewers. The Dodgers' 6-2 victory in Game 3 Friday set another record low, 8.156 million viewers.
Tampa Bay's 8-7 victory in Game 4 Saturday when the winning run scored on an error on the final at-bat averaged 9.332 million viewers.
The Dodgers' 4-2 victory in Game 5 Sunday averaged 10.059 million viewers while their 3-1 Series-clinching victory Tuesday averaged 12.627 million viewers.
Despite the record lows, all but Game 5, which aired opposite NBC's “Sunday Night Football,'' were their night's most-watched program.
Official viewership for nearly all forms of programming has decreased because of increased viewing of streaming programming.
ABC's coverage of the Los Angeles Lakers' six-game victory over the Miami Heat in NBA Finals which concluded Oct. 11 averaged a record-low 7.487 million viewers against unprecedented sports competition.
World Series viewership records are available dating back to 1968.
The World Series has aired on Fox each year since 2000.
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