Panda's Historic Performance Powers FOX to World Series Primetime Win

Last night, San Francisco Giants slugger Pablo Sandoval made history when he joined Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson and Albert Pujols as the only players to ever hit three home runs in a World Series game, catapulting the Giants to an 8-3 victory in Game 1 of the 2012 World Series. FOX Sports also notched a victory with World Series Game 1 winning the night in Households and the key Adult 18-49 (projected 3.7) demographic.

The game posted a 7.6/12 (12.2 million viewers) household fast-national rating/share, according to Nielsen Media Research, easily powering FOX to a first place finish in primetime and it gave the network its highest-rated, most-watched primetime program since the American Idol Finale this past May.

Last year's World Series Game 1 between the Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals, a 3-2 Cardinals victory, posted an 8.7/14 and averaged 14.2 million viewers. Initial tune-in to World Series Game 1 was virtually the same as last year's but viewership was clearly impacted by the Giants mounting a 6-0 lead by the fifth inning. At 9:00 PM ET, 2012 Game 1 was out-rating Game 1 a year ago 8.8 vs. 8.7, but last year's game remained close throughout, averaging a 9.3 the rest of the way and peaking at a 9.9 at 11:00 PM. Last night's uncompetitive game averaged a 7.7 to its conclusion, peaking at an 8.8 at 9:00 PM ET and again at 9:30 PM ET.

Detroit led all markets for Game 1 viewing with a 33.2/46 followed by San Francisco, which delivered a 32.3/58 rating/share. Sacramento (25.4/40), San Diego (11.0/21), Las Vegas (10.3/18), Greensboro (10.2/15), Fort Myers (9.3/15), Phoenix (9.1/16), Richmond (9.1/14) and Cleveland (8.8/15) round out the top ten markets for last night's game.

World Series Game 2 between the Detroit Tigers and San Francisco Giants airs tonight on FOX with coverage beginning at 7:30 PM ET.

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