World Series concludes with second most-watched MLB game in ten years

Game Seven of the 2014 World Series - which featured World Series MVP Madison Bumgarner turning in a pitching performance for the ages to lead the Giants to their third World Series championship in five years - capped a memorable World Series for Major League Baseball.

Wednesday's dramatic Game Seven drew a total of 52 million viewers who watched all or part of the telecast. Game Seven drew an average of 23.9 million viewers on FOX and FOX Deportes, making it the second most-watched MLB game since 2004. The viewership number also marked a +76% increase over the previous Series high for Tuesday's Game Six, and a +23% increase over last year's World Series clincher for the Red Sox, their first claimed in Boston in 95 years.

It also delivered yet another dominant primetime victory for FOX, +142% over the second place network according to metered market data from Nielsen. Game Seven marks FOX's best Wednesday night in primetime since May 2011, and the best Wednesday night on any network since August 2012. The 2014 World Series - which featured two one-run games surrounded by an all-time record five games decided by five or more runs - delivered for FOX the ratings equivalent of a full season of a top-10 primetime network show, something the World Series has consistently done for decades.

Kansas City delivered a 58.3 local rating for Game Seven, the third-highest local rating for any market for any MLB game on record, behind only a 62.3 in Phoenix for Game Seven of the 2001 World Series and a 59.0 in Boston for Game Four of the 2004 World Series. At the conclusion of the game, 83% of TVs on in Kansas City were tuned to the game. In San Francisco, Game Seven drew a 38.8 local rating, topping all games from the Giants recent World Series championships and marking the best rating in San Francisco for an MLB game since Game Seven of the 2002 World Series.