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After the 2023 World Series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers failed to capture national fan interest, hopes were higher that the 2024 series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees would grab more eyeballs.

And boy did it ever.

Game one of the World Series on Friday night was a massive success for the Dodgers on the field, and for Major League Baseball and Fox off the field.

READ: Freddie Freeman Ends Yankees-Dodgers World Series Game One With Incredible Walk-Off Grand Slam

Per Fox Sports PR, the series opener attracted 15.2 million viewers, peaking at nearly 18 million towards the end of the game. It was the most watched game one since the 2017 series between the Houston Astros and this same Dodgers team. Importantly, it was also a 62 percent increase over game one of the 2023 Diamondbacks-Rangers matchup. That’s exactly what the league and its television partners were hoping for.

Freddie Freeman Dodgers WOrld Series

LOS ANGELES – Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a walk-off grand slam in the tenth inning to defeat the New York Yankees 6-3 and win Game 1 of a World Series baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday, October 25, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)

Dodgers-Yankees Delivers Big Numbers For MLB

These viewership numbers don’t reflect the additional millions watching from Japan, given massive interest in seeing Shohei Ohtani on baseball’s biggest stage.

It’s a big win for the league, which had seen declining ratings thanks to recent postseasons pitting teams with more regional fanbases against each other. But the Dodgers and Yankees are the two signature franchises and carry a tremendous amount of star power.

Sure enough, fans tuned in. 

Ratings also tend to increase as the series progresses; the league is undoubtedly hoping for a seven-game series to ramp up the drama and tension. Whenever the series is on the line; a clinching game for either team, would also attract more viewers. 

Neutral fans of smaller market teams might be frustrated with a big spending, big market series. But the league needs these types of financial wins for the health of the sport. So far, it’s living up to expectations.