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Game 1 blowout means lower World Series ratings for Fox

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Detroit Tiger ace Justin Verlander wasn’t the only one who had a tough time Wednesday night.

Game 1 of the World Series, which saw the San Francisco Giants handle the Tigers 8-3, drew just 12.2 million viewers for Fox, according to Nielsen.

While it’s just one game, that is a smaller audience than the last three World Series openers. Last year’s first game battle between the Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals averaged 14.2 million viewers. Game 1 of the 2010 series between the Giants and Rangers averaged 15 million, while the 2009 opener between the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies attracted an impressive 19.5 million people.

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It didn’t help matters that this game was over before it really started. Although Verlander is considered the best pitcher in the game, the Giants pounded him early. That gave viewers an excuse to go channel surfing.

Despite the lower numbers, Fox still easily won the night in viewers and the 18-49 demographic.

Fox executives are no doubt secretly rooting for Detroit to win Thursday night because typically the longer a World Series goes, the higher the ratings. If the Giants win and take a 2-0 lead, some viewers might lose interest. Last year’s series went seven games and averaged almost 17 million viewers per game. The 2010 series went only five games and average 14.3 million viewers.

The least watched series on record was in 2008 when an average audience of 13.6 million tuned in to see the Phillies beat the Tampa Bay Rays in five games.

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Follow Joe Flint on Twitter @JBFlint

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