The 2025 World Series got off to an exciting start on Friday as the Los Angeles Dodgers secured a thrilling 6-3 victory over the New York Yankees in Game 1. This highly anticipated matchup captured the attention of sports fans across the country and delivered the largest Game 1 audience for the fall classic since 2017.
Fox Sports reported that an average of 15.2 million viewers tuned in to watch the Dodgers clinch the win in the 10th inning. The game reached its peak viewership at 17.8 million at 11:30 p.m. ET, during the final half-hour of the game. Dodgers’ slugger Freddie Freeman’s walk-off home run with the bases loaded was undoubtedly the highlight of the evening.
The game was broadcasted on Fox Sports’ linear and digital platforms, as well as Fox Deportes and Univision, which partnered with Fox for the World Series. The rare matchup between the Yankees and Dodgers has generated significant interest in this year’s MLB championship round, with a 62% increase in viewership compared to the 2023 Game 1 between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers.
In 2017, the kick off to the Houston Astros-Dodgers series drew 15.3 million viewers, setting the stage for a scandalous sign-stealing and cheating scandal involving the Astros. This year’s Game 1 exceeded expectations and marked a significant milestone for Fox in terms of viewership.
The battle between West Coast and East Coast fandoms was evident in the ratings, with Los Angeles outperforming New York by a wide margin. The game garnered a 19.1 household rating and 58 share in the L.A. market, while New York recorded a 13.2/37 in the same measures. This disparity highlights the strong support for the Dodgers in their home city.
Fox highlighted that Friday’s game was its highest-rated telecast on a Friday night since Game 3 of the 2017 Astros-Dodgers World Series. The excitement and drama of Game 1 have set the stage for an unforgettable World Series showdown between two iconic baseball franchises.
(Photo: Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman celebrating after hitting the game-winning home run)
