Sports TV Ratings · 2026 MLB postseason · U.S. audiences · Checked October 7, 2026
The Yankees and Red Sox averaged 7.4 million viewers across their two-game Wild Card series on NBC and Peacock, making it the most-watched Wild Card Series, according to NBC Sports.
Wild Card audiences
| Game | Average | Peak |
|---|---|---|
| Red Sox–YankeesSept. 29 · Game 1 | 7.3M | 8.5M |
| Braves–PhilliesSept. 29 · Game 1 | 3.9M | 5.0M |
| Red Sox–YankeesSept. 30 · Game 2 | 7.4M | 9.2M |
| Braves–PhilliesSept. 30 · Game 2 | 4.2M | 5.9M |
| Braves–PhilliesOct. 1 · Game 3 | 6.1M | Unavailable |
M = million viewers. Average covers the reported telecast; peak covers a 15-minute interval. Tap an average for its source.
The Yankees–Red Sox series average was up 12% from the first two games of the same matchup in 2025. Game 1 rose 12%, while Game 2 rose 10% from last year’s ESPN broadcasts.
Braves–Phillies averaged 4.1 million across its first two afternoon games, up 28% from the comparable Padres–Cubs games last year. The deciding Game 3 drew 6.1 million, which NBCUniversal says was the largest National League Wild Card or Division Series Game 3 audience since 2006.
Measurement note: Nielsen changed parts of its measurement on August 31, 2026. NBC also now uses Nielsen verification of streaming data for its Wild Card reports. Year-over-year gains should be read with those changes and the move from ESPN/ABC to NBC in mind.
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