Team USA's World Baseball Classic semifinal win draws massive viewership

Team USA’s melodramatic triumph implicit the Dominican Republic successful the World Baseball Classic (WBC) connected Sunday nighttime smashed viewership records, FOX Sports said Tuesday.

The crippled drew 7,369,000 viewers connected FS1 and FOX Deportes, becoming the most-watched WBC telecast ever connected immoderate network. The semifinal matchup went head-to-head against the Academy Awards, which drew 17.9 cardinal viewers but was down 9% from 2025 and drew the fewest fig of viewers since 2022.

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United States' Gunnar Henderson gestures to his teammates aft hitting a location tally during the 4th inning of a World Baseball Classic semifinal crippled against the Dominican Republic, Sunday, March 15, 2026, successful Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

The high-stakes crippled betwixt the U.S. and the Dominican Republic went down to the wire, arsenic Roman Anthony and Gunnar Henderson powered the squad to a win. The crippled besides ended connected a arguable onslaught 3 telephone that appeared to beryllium retired of the zone.

Regardless, FOX Sports said the FS1 telecast itself drew 6,864,000 viewers. It was FS1’s most-watched telecast since 2019 and ninth each time. FOX Sports said the crippled was the most-watched sports lawsuit of the weekend.

Dominican Republic Geraldo Perdomo reacts aft striking retired astatine the extremity of the ninth inning of a World Baseball Classic semifinal crippled against the United States, Sunday, March 15, 2026, successful Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

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The ratings for the U.S. and Venezuela crippled volition beryllium released aboriginal this week. Team USA couldn’t find a mode to triumph against Venezuela successful the World Baseball Classic final.

Eugenio Suarez delivered the go-ahead RBI successful the apical of the ninth inning aft Bryce Harper tied the crippled successful the eighth inning with a two-run location run.

The United States squad celebrates aft defeating the Dominican Republic astatine a World Baseball Classic semifinal game, Sunday, March 15, 2026, successful Miami.  (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

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It was Venezuela’s archetypal World Baseball Classic win.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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