Fast National ratings for Wednesday, October 30, 2013.
The Boston Red Sox closed out their third World Series title in nine years with a 6-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday night, with the clinching game delivering FOX’s best numbers of this postseason and helping the network dominate primetime in all measures.
The World Series did decent ratings for FOX — this was the most watched game since Game 6 of the 2011 World Series, even if it came in three million below that game — but it continued to have only a slight impact on the competition. While a couple shows, including “Criminal Minds,” “Arrow” and “Nashville,” were down, an equal number of shows weren’t bothered, including “The Middle,” “Revolution” and “Tomorrow People.”
The night’s biggest week-to-week decline, a solid 0.4 in the key demo rating, came from ABC’s “Super Fun Night,” but that was less a product of going against baseball and more a product of not having its “Modern Family” lead-in for the first time. Similarly, the drop for the “CSI” mothership was more attributable to last week’s slightly boosted 300th episode than anything else.
On to the numbers…
Among adults 18-49, FOX averaged a 5.2 rating for its regular two-hour primetime block (and a 5.4 rating for 8-to-11 p.m.) to top Wednesday in the key demographic. CBS was a distant second with a 2.2 key demo rating, followed by ABC’s 1.8 rating and the 1.2 key demo rating for NBC. The CW averaged a 0.6 key demo rating for the night.
Overall, FOX averaged an estimated 18.03 million viewers and a 10.6 rating/16 share for its normal two-hour primetime block on Wednesday (18 million and a 10.6/17 for 8-to-11 p.m.). CBS was second with 9.75 million viewers and a 6.3/10 for the night, beating ABC’s 4.1/6 and 6.26 million viewers with ease. NBC was fourth with 4.44 million viewers and a 2.9/5, followed by The CW’s 1.3/2 and 2.03 million viewers.
8 p.m. – FOX’s World Series coverage started primetime in first with 16.695 million viewers and a 4.6 rating among adults 18-49 in the 8 p.m. hour. CBS was second with 9.02 million viewers and a 2.3 key demo rating for “Survivor: Blood vs. Water,” which was down in viewers but flat in the demo from last week. ABC’s “The Middle” (8.03 million and a 2.1 key demo) and “Back in the Game” (6.24 million and a 1.7 key demo) followed in third. NBC’s “Revolution” was fourth with 4.91 million viewers and a 1.4 key demo rating, while The CW’s “Arrow” averaged 2.34 million viewers and a 0.7 key demo rating, both off from last week.
9 p.m. – The second hour of the Red Sox victory averaged 19.373 million viewers and a 5.7 rating among adults 18-49 for FOX. CBS’ “Criminal Minds” was second with 10.62 million viewers and a 2.4 key demo rating. ABC was third with a repeat of “Modern Family” (7.42 million and a 2.2 key demo) and a new “Super Fun Night” (5.42 million and a 1.8 key demo). NBC’s “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” repeat finished fourth with 3.86 million viewers and a 0.9 key demo rating. The CW’s “The Tomorrow People” averaged 1.73 million viewers and a 0.6 key demo rating, flat in the key demo from last week’s Fast Nationals (but down from the 0.7 it ticked up to in Nationals).
10 p.m. – [FOX’s baseball coverage averaged 17.92 million viewers and a 5.8 key demo rating in the 10 p.m. hour, which usually doesn’t count in FOX’s primetime tally.] CBS led 10 p.m. with 9.59 million viewers and a 1.8 rating among adults 18-49, beating the 5.23 million viewers and 1.4 key demo rating for ABC’s “Nashville.” NBC’s “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” repeat rose to 4.55 million viewers and a 1.2 key demo rating.
All ratings information comes from preliminary Fast National Nielsen data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are subject to change, particularly in the case of live events.