The overall national Nielsen rating for the five games was 8.4, tied with the 2008 World Series for the event's lowest-ever TV rating.Fox Deportes carried the Series in Spanish on American cable and satellite TV. and Canadian service personnel stationed around the globe. Additionally, the American Forces Network and Canadian Forces Radio and Television carried the games to U.S. ESPN America broadcast the series live in the UK and in Europe. MLB International syndicated its own telecast of the series, with announcers Gary Thorne and Rick Sutcliffe, to various networks outside the U.S.The agreement was reached just before Game 3. Many viewers in the New York City and Philadelphia markets were unable to watch Games 1 and 2 because News Corporation, Fox's parent company, pulled WNYW and WTXF from cable provider Cablevision on October 16 because of a carriage dispute. EDT to accommodate Fox's football coverage of the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Arizona Cardinals. EDT for Games 1–2, and 5, while Game 3 started at 7 p.m. 2010 – For the second consecutive year, World Series games had earlier start times in hopes of attracting younger viewers.Gabe Kapler, Frank Thomas, Nick Swisher, and David Ortiz (Games 1–2) Per the current broadcast agreement, the World Series will be televised by Fox through 2028.Īlex Rodriguez, David Ortiz, Keith Hernandez, and Frank ThomasĪlex Rodriguez, Frank Thomas, Pete Rose, and Tom VerducciĪlex Rodriguez, Raúl Ibañez, Frank Thomas, Pete Rose (Games 1–3) and Kevin Millar (Games 4–5).They are (through 2021) Tim McCarver and Joe Buck (24), Mel Allen (11), Vin Scully (11, 13 more seasons on radio), Curt Gowdy (11), Joe Garagiola (9), and Al Michaels (8).Īlex Rodriguez, David Ortiz, and Frank Thomas Since that time, seven different men have broadcast eight or more different World Series as a play-by-play or color commentator. They have matched up in six different seasons in the 20-year history of interleague play, splitting four games in their last meeting in 2015, including splits in both home parks.įOX televised the World Series, with Joe Buck on play-by-play and John Smoltz as the analyst, joined by reporters Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci.ĮSPN Radio broadcast the Fall Classic nationally, with Dan Shulman on play-by-play alongside analyst Aaron Boone, two-thirds of ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball broadcast team.Television coverage of the World Series began in 1947.
The Cubs and Indians had never met in the postseason. They beat the San Francisco Giants in four games in the NLDS, then took six games to outlast the Dodgers, with starter Jon Lester standing out with his 0.86 ERA in three postseason starts this year. Cleveland was 7-1 during the AL playoffs, including 4-0 at home.Ĭhicago was a juggernaut in the regular season, winning 103 games while outscoring opponents by a whopping 252 runs. The Indians had some extra time to prepare for the Fall Classic, closing out the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 5 of the ALCS.
That’s not to discount the Indians, who were back in the World Series for the first time since 1997 and came within one win of their fist title since 1948.īecause the American League won the All-Star Game in San Diego, the Indians had home-field advantage in the World Series, which began last Tuesday at Progressive Field in Cleveland. The final game was a 10-inning classic, with Chicago outlasting Cleveland 8-7. The Chicago Cubs trailed the Cleveland Indians three games to one, but rallied to win the final three games to win the 2016 World Series, ending their 108-year championship drought.