The moment the Arizona Diamondbacks registered the last out in Philadelphia in the National League Championship Series, it started. That this 2023 World Series between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks is the version of the Fall Classic that “no one wants.”
Rob Schumacher at USA Today reports television ratings for Diamondbacks v Rangers were projected to be horrible, and they are just that. And, so what?
Game 1 of the World Series will forever be remembered as one of the most exciting in the history of one of America’s most celebrated sporting events. No one will remember that the TV ratings for that game averaged a tick more than 9.1 million viewers on Fox, a record-low for the World Series.
Baseball is a regional sport more than ever, and the people who watch are those who have either followed the team forever, or live in the area. The TV ratings for these World Series games in the respective cities are good, and when it comes baseball that’s the way these things go.
There are maybe six teams in Major League Baseball that inject a bump into TV ratings, and neither the Rangers nor the DBacks is a part of that group. That would be the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, L.A. Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals. They all have appeal beyond the respective cities where they play.
You will notice the Mets, White Sox, Angels and Giants are not part of this group. Neither are the Phillies.
The Rangers have played in Arlington, Texas since 1972 and, outside of this region, have no real hook to draw fans. They were terrible in the ‘70s. They were bad in the ‘80s. You don’t build a fan base by losing.
Both the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox were known as lovable losers, and famous for their decades-long streak between World Series titles. They also play in stadiums that are living museums, and serve as a tourist attraction for people who know nothing about baseball.
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