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

Team USA’s melodramatic triumph complete nan Dominican Republic successful nan 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 nan most-watched WBC telecast ever connected immoderate network. The semifinal matchup went head-to-head against nan Academy Awards, which drew 17.9 cardinal viewers but was down 9% from 2025 and drew nan fewest number of viewers since 2022.

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

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

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

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

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The ratings for nan U.S. and Venezuela crippled will beryllium released later this week. Team USA couldn’t find a measurement to triumph against Venezuela successful nan World Baseball Classic final.

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

The United States squad celebrates aft defeating nan 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 first World Baseball Classic win.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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