Milwaukee Brewers Win First World Series as TV Viewership Drops
The Milwaukee Brewers won their first-ever World Series, but the championship series drew significantly fewer television viewers than recent years, highlighting baseball's struggles in the US sports market.
At a glance
- The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 to win their first World Series title in 57 years.
- The 2026 World Series averaged 11.82 million viewers, down from over 15 million in the previous two years.
- Low payrolls and small markets for both teams contributed to the lower viewership compared to star-studded teams like the Dodgers.
The Milwaukee Brewers won their first World Series title in franchise history, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 in the 2026 championship series. However, the monumental victory was overshadowed by disappointing television ratings, sparking concerns about baseball's viewership in the United States.
The series, played between October 23 and October 28, saw the Brewers clinch their first championship in 57 years, ending a drought that dated back to their 1982 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. Despite the historic triumph, the viewership numbers were underwhelming. The 2026 World Series averaged 11.82 million viewers across the Fox network. Game 3 drew the lowest audience with 8.33 million viewers, while Game 5, where Milwaukee secured the title, attracted the highest peak of 14.22 million.
These figures represent a significant drop from the previous two World Series, which averaged 15.1 million viewers in 2024 and 15.49 million in 2025, both won by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Experts point to the small market sizes and low payrolls of both teams as primary factors. The Brewers rank as the smallest market team in MLB with a payroll of $146 million (19th in the league), while the Rays' payroll stands at $95 million (28th). This marked the first World Series in 35 years featuring two of the league's smallest spenders, contrasting sharply with the star-studded Dodgers lineup featuring Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts.
The 2026 World Series also paled in comparison to other major US sports. The 2026 NBA Finals averaged 20.58 million viewers, while the NFL's Super Bowl LX drew an estimated 125.6 million viewers. Internationally, the FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina drew a record 62.8 million viewers in the US. Only the NHL's Stanley Cup, which averaged 5.2 million viewers, performed worse than baseball's championship.
Looking ahead, MLB's efforts to expand globally face hurdles. The league cancelled plans to host two regular-season games in London in June 2026 due to stadium conversion timelines and scheduling conflicts with the FIFA World Cup. Despite this, MLB continues grassroots initiatives in India and has historically played games in Mexico, Japan, and Australia, joining the NFL and NBA in their push for international audiences.
Source: Al Jazeera.
Questions and answers
- Why did the 2026 World Series viewership drop?
- The viewership dropped to an average of 11.82 million viewers, partly due to the small market sizes and low payrolls of the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays compared to previous star-studded teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers.
- Which sports leagues drew more viewers in 2026?
- The 2026 World Series drew fewer viewers than the NBA Finals (20.58 million average) and the NFL Super Bowl LX (125.6 million), but outperformed the NHL Stanley Cup (5.2 million average).
- What happened with MLB's London games planned for 2026?
- MLB cancelled its planned London games between the Yankees and Blue Jays due to stadium conversion time constraints and a lack of available television broadcast slots during the FIFA World Cup.
