"Baseball is better than basketball" ; "Thank you Shohei Ohtani" - Fans react as Dodgers-Yankees World Series decimates NBA Finals in TV ratings
The 2024 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees was an exciting one. While it was not the longest series, it was still enjoyed by a great number of fans.
According to the Los Angeles Times' Bill Skaikin, more people tuned in for this than they did for the NBA Finals. 15.8 million people tuned in for the series while only 11.3 million tuned in for the NBA Finals.
There was also a drastic increase in viewership compared to last year's World Series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers. A 7.1 million difference, to be exact.
This is great news for baseball fans who have been told for years that their favorite sport is dying. Fans took to social media to celebrate their sport and its popularity in the postseason.
"Baseball is better than basketball" one fan said.
"Thank you [Shohei] Ohtani and Japan" said another.
"Baseball is back" said another.
Much of the attention could be from Shohei Ohtani's presence in the World Series. It always helps when the game's best player is playing in the sport's most important series.
"World Series . NBA Finals" said another.
"Surprising but great to see!" said another.
"Too bad it couldn't go another game" said another.
Some fans were hoping the series would last a bit longer, but the Dodgers really had the Yankees' number. Outside of one game, they looked like the far greater team.
Dodgers-Yankees matchup likely reason for increased viewership
This year's World Series seemed to mean much more than it had in previous seasons. This was a matchup between two of the most storied franchises in all of baseball.
It was also a matchup that seemed right for the bright lights. The Yankees and Dodgers were two of the best teams nearly all season long with their loaded rosters.
The Bronx Bombers were searching for their first World Series title since 2009, but they just ran out of steam at the end. They could not keep up with the stellar pitching and timely hitting the Dodgers had showcased.
After the series, there were no questions about which team was truly the best. Now, both teams have the lowest odds of winning the World Series in 2025. Baseball fans could be in for a rematch next season.