Audience Analysis: MLB Network Has Second-Most Watched Telecast Ever For WBC Final

MLB Network averaged 2.3 million viewers Wednesday night for Team USA's win over Puerto Rico in the final of the World Baseball Classic, marking the network's second-most watched telecast ever. Last year's Cubs-Giants NLDS Game 2 on MLB Net drew 4.6 million viewers. Wednesday night's game peaked with 2.5 million viewers between 10:30-11:00pm ET. MLB Net's previous high for a WBC game was 1.4 million viewers for Tuesday's Team USA-Japan semifinal. Wednesday now ranks as MLB Net's second-best viewership for both primetime (1.595 million) and total day (475,000). For the tournament overall, MLB Net averaged 377,000 viewers per game, up 32% from 285,000 in '13. Fifteen out of 40 games in '17, and 16 out of 39 in '13, aired in the overnight/early morning time period given their start times in Japan and Korea. 

FEELIN' KINDA SUNDAY: Fox drew 5.4 million viewers for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race from Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, down from 6.6 million viewers for last year's event at the samr track. Last year's event aired up against conference tournament basketball games, while this year's iteration saw NCAA Tournament second round competition. Meanwhile, NBC earned 2.1 million viewers Sunday afternoon for the final round of the PGA Tour Arnold Palmer Invitational, which saw Marc Leishman win by a shot over Kevin Kisner and Charley Hoffman. The event's final round last year drew 2.9 million viewers.