The small-market World Series in Major League Baseball wrapped up this week, with the Milwaukee Brewers winning their first title in franchise history.
The title triumph came ۴۴ years after Milwaukee’s only other trip to the Fall Classic, when they lost to the St Louis Cardinals in seven games in ۱۹۸۲.
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But beyond the memorable victory, the series’ television ratings made for underwhelming reading, raising questions about baseball’s reach and relevance in a United States sports market dominated by American football and basketball.
Al Jazeera breaks down the numbers and more:
Who played in the ۲۰۲۶ MLB World Series?
The World Series, the championship series of the ۲۰۲۶ MLB season, saw the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays and the National League champion Milwaukee Brewers compete in a best-of-seven playoff series.
At the end of the October ۲۳-۲۸ playoff series, Milwaukee were crowned winners, as they clinched their first World Series title.
Milwaukee’s ۵۷-year wait for a championship ended on Wednesday after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays ۴-۱ to wrap up the Fall Classic in five games.
Why didn’t the ۲۰۲۶ World Series capture TV audiences?
While the final Nielsen ratings report is still pending, estimates show an average of ۱۱.۸۲ million viewers tuned in for the ۲۰۲۶ World Series across the Fox network.
Milwaukee’s ۱۰-۱ win at Tampa in Game ۳ attracted the lowest audience, ۸.۳۳ million, while Game ۵, in which Milwaukee sealed the championship, drew the highest with ۱۴.۲۲ million viewers.
The overall average is much lower than the ۲۰۲۵ and ۲۰۲۴ World Series, which drew ۱۵.۴۹ million and ۱۵.۱ million viewers, respectively, as the Los Angeles Dodgers won the title both times.
This year’s World Series’ underwhelming viewership could be linked to the two teams’ relatively low payrolls and markets – the Brewers’ payroll ranks ۱۹th in MLB ($۱۴۶m), and the Rays are ۲۸th ($۹۵m).
The Brewers also rank as the smallest market team in MLB, generating the lowest local commercial and TV revenue, while the Rays rank squarely in the league’s middle.
Hence, when the Brewers and Rays met this year on MLB’s biggest stage, it marked the first World Series clash between two of baseball’s smallest spenders in ۳۵ years.
On the other hand, nine-time World Series winners Dodgers, who competed in the last two World Series, boast a star-studded lineup on a hefty payroll, featuring marquee star Shohei Ohtani, former MVP Mookie Betts, ۱۰-time All-Star Freddie Freeman and others.
Those factors keep them in the tier ۱ market size category – one that represents the biggest media and population footprints in the sport.
How does the World Series compare with other US sports?
The ۲۰۲۶ World Series’ viewership figures also pale in comparison to those of other major US sports leagues.
Basketball’s ۲۰۲۶ NBA Finals, in which the New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs ۴-۱ to end a ۵۳-year drought, attracted a series average of ۲۰.۵۸ million viewers. Game ۵ was the most-watched NBA Finals game ۵ since ۱۹۹۸, averaging ۲۴.۵۴ million viewers and peaking at ۳۳ million.
Elsewhere in international football, the ۲۰۲۶ FIFA World Cup, held in North America, also produced record numbers. Spain’s ۱-۰ extra-time win over Argentina delivered a combined average audience of ۶۲.۸ million across Fox and Telemundo, making it the most-watched football match ever in the United States.
American football, by far, is the most-watched sport in the US.
A Nielsen report found that an estimated ۱۲۵.۶ million viewers watched the National Football League’s Super Bowl LX, as the Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots ۲۹-۱۳.
NBC’s presentation of Super Bowl LX ranked as the second most-watched Super Bowl in history, behind the ۱۲۷.۷ million viewers who watched Super Bowl LIX in ۲۰۲۵.
The only major American sports league that performs weakly against MLB is the National Hockey League (NHL), a professional ice hockey league in North America.
An average of ۵.۲ million viewers tuned in for the ۲۰۲۶ Stanley Cup, won by the Carolina Hurricanes, who defeated the Vegas Golden Knights ۴-۲.
Why was the ۲۰۲۶ MLB London series cancelled?
MLB initially scheduled to host two games in London in mid-۲۰۲۶, with the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays pencilled in to play on June ۱۳ and ۱۴ at London Stadium, the home ground of English football team West Ham United.
But the plan was cancelled due to scheduling issues with the venue and baseball’s television partner.
West Ham played their ۲۰۲۵-۲۶ Premier League season’s final match against Leeds United at the ground on May ۲۴, leaving very little time to convert the field to baseball, which can take up to three weeks.
Furthermore, MLB was unable to schedule games at the same venue later in June because Fox lacked available broadcast slots as that period clashed with the FIFA World Cup.
MLB games have been played abroad on several occasions, from Japan to Australia, since it was first played in Mexico in ۲۰۰۰.
MLB is also working on grassroots initiatives in India, known for its affinity for cricket, and last week hosted MLBx, a fast-paced ۳-on-۳ baseball competition that brought together baseball and softball stars.
Are other US sports leagues also held abroad?
Yes, major US sports leagues have made strides in expanding their international footprints, regularly hosting regular-season games, exhibition matches and special events abroad.
The NFL hosts regular-season games abroad in locations including London, Munich, Madrid, Sao Paulo and Mexico City.
Last month, the league expanded its presence with games in Melbourne, and the NFL’s first game Down Under drew ۱۰۰,۰۲۱ fans, making it the seventh most-attended regular-season game in NFL history.
With a large portion of the league’s player base and revenue coming from outside the US, the NBA also plays regular-season and preseason games in international cities like Paris, Abu Dhabi and Mexico City.
