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Game 1 of World Series Between Dodgers, Yankees Draws Massive TV Ratings

The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees played an instant classic in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night, and millions of fans saw it all go down live.

Sam Connon

Oct 25, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) celebrates with teammates after hitting a grand slam home run in the tenth inning against the New York Yankees during game one of the 2024 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium.
Oct 25, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) celebrates with teammates after hitting a grand slam home run in the tenth inning against the New York Yankees during game one of the 2024 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium. / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
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By all accounts, Game 1 of the 2024 World Series was an instant classic.

And there were plenty of people who got to see the action in real time.

The Los Angeles Dodgers successfully defended home turf, despite letting things go down to the wire against the New York Yankees. The opening game of the Fall Classic went to extra innings thanks to Giancarlo Stanton's clutch home run, but it was Freddie Freeman who won it with a walk-off grand slam in the 10th.

The sellout crowd of 52,394 got sent into a frenzy, and many more went wild back at home as the Dodgers won 6-3.

According to FOX Sports PR, Game 1 of the World Series garnered an average of 15.2 million viewers across FOX, FOX Deportes, Univision and FOX Sports. The peak audience reached 17.8 million from 11:30 p.m. ET through the conclusion of the showdown.

It marked the most-watched World Series Game 1 since 2017, when the Dodgers faced off against the Houston Astros. Compared to Game 1 of the 2023 World Series between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks, the ratings for this year's Game 1 were 62% better.

No FOX broadcast has earned more viewers in the Friday primetime slot since Game 3 of the 2017 World Series.

Game 2 is set to get underway at 8:08 p.m. ET, and the league is certainly hoping to draw a similarly massive crowd.

Full playoff schedule in real time

  • MLB POSTSEASON SCHEDULE: The 2024 playoffs are finally coming to a head, with the AL and NL pennant-winners now set in stone. Here is the latest on the schedule, with dates, game times, TV information and pitching matchups. CLICK HERE

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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a Staff Writer for Fastball on the Sports Illustrated/FanNation networks. He previously covered UCLA Athletics for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's All Bruins, 247Sports' Bruin Report Online, Rivals' Bruin Blitz, the Bleav Podcast Network and the Daily Bruin, with his work as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk.

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