ESPN's American League Wild Card Game telecast presented by Hankook Tires - the Houston Astros defeated the New York Yankees 3-0 - delivered the largest MLB Wild Card Game audience ever, according to Fast Nationals from Nielsen. The telecast averaged 7,604,000 viewers (P2+), and peaked with 8,600,000 viewers from 10:30-11 p.m. ET. It was ESPN's most-watched MLB game since 2003.
The viewership average was up 46 percent from last year's AL Wild Card Game - Kansas City vs. Oakland - which drew 5,213,000 viewers. It's also up 36 percent from ESPN's telecast of the 2014 NL Wild Card Game - San Francisco vs. Pittsburgh - which generated 5,591,000 viewers and was the previously most-watched MLB Wild Card game. Last night's telecast delivered a 4.9 U.S. household rating, which is up 48 percent and 36 percent, respectively, from last year's AL Wild Card and NL Wild Card telecasts. It was also up double-digits from both of last year's Wild Card telecasts across all key demos. 2015 AL Wild Card on ESPN vs. 2014 NL Wild Card on ESPN - Key Demos M18-34 (2.9 vs. 2.1, up 38 percent); M18-49 (3.4 vs. 2.4, up 42 percent); M25-54 (3.6 vs. 2.6, up 38 percent); P18-34 (2.1 vs. 1.4, up 50 percent); P18-49 (2.3 vs. 1.5, up 53 percent); P25-54 (2.5 vs. 1.7, up 47 percent).Videos