If you build it, they will come. And as Major League Baseball learned Thursday, they’ll watch, too.
From its dramatic introduction by actor Kevin Costner to the stunning aerial shots and exciting walk-off fashion in which it ended, the “Field of Dreams” game Thursday night between the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees was a smashing success.
And the overnight ratings now back that up.
The broadcast of game, live from Dyersville, Iowa, won the day in ratings and viewership, according to Fast Affiliate Ratings. With the overnight numbers in, it’s a safe bet more games will be played form the Field of Dreams.
“Based on overnight ratings per sources — final numbers out later — FOX is looking at its best metered market rating (the rating for the largest media markets/cities in the U.S.) for an MLB regular season game since 2005,” The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch on Friday reported.
Between the estimated 5.07 million who tuned into the FOX broadcast, the game garnered considerable interest across key demographics, earning a 1.2 rating/10 share in the Thursday 8-11 p.m. ET slot.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred already has confirmed another game next season around August, with participating teams still to be determined.
But it will be interesting to see if the sport continues to try this experiment in other cities for similar games played where MLB teams don’t exist.
If the “Field of Dreams” game was any indicator, they certainly should.
