Another hit for Fox’s viewership: The Dodgers’ 7-6 win over the Yankees in Game 5 averaged 18.6 million viewers across the aforementioned networks and streams, making it the World Series game the most watched since Game 7 of the Nationals. victory over the Astros in 2019, which averaged 23.22 million viewers.

Fox executives can’t be disappointed by the final viewing figures, but they must wonder how much bigger the audience would have been if the Yankees had been able to extend the series.

The most watched World Series since 2007 is . . . well, your first guess would probably be correct. The Cubs’ epic seven-game win over Cleveland, another long-time pain, in 2016 averaged 23.4 million viewers.

A seven-game Yankees-Dodgers series wouldn’t have come close to that, but it would have been awfully close to that 18.93 million figure for the 2017 Dodgers-Astros, which is the second-most watched over the last 18 seasons.

The World Series has also performed well compared to recent championships in other major sports. It topped the Celtics’ five-game victory over the Mavericks in the NBA Finals, which averaged 11.3 million viewers on ABC. The Panthers’ seven-game victory over the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final averaged 4.17 million viewers on ABC and ESPN+ in the United States.

The Super Bowl, of course, remains in its own stratosphere, not just for a sporting event but for any television program.

The Chiefs’ 25-22 victory over the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII in February drew 123.7 million viewers – more than six times the audience for Game 5 of the World Series – across all platforms, including CBS, Nickelodeon and Univision.

This is the biggest audience for a Super Bowl since the Patriots won against the Falcons (126.3 million) in February 2017. Pretty good game, if I remember correctly.

Costas called it a good match

Bob Costas is probably better known to younger generations – perhaps even most generations – as host of NBC’s Olympic coverage from 1992 to 2016.

But if you grew up in the ’80s like I did, you might think of him first as a baseball broadcaster. I always have, even though the 29-time Emmy winner has done it, like Al Michaels And Sean McDonoughcalled just about everything, and called it well.

Costas’ competent and ironic style made him a partner Tony Kubek during NBC’s Saturday “Game of the Week” show, the ideal of what a modern national baseball broadcast should be. Which, in hindsight, is remarkable, because they were NBC’s #2 team. Scully Wine And Joe Garagiola made up the No. 1 team, back when a national match of the week was something to be expected. Yeah, Scully and Garagiola were pretty good too.

I was reminded of his true legacy in sports when news broke last week that Costas, winner of the Hall of Fame’s 2018 Ford Frick Award for broadcast excellence, was retiring from baseball after 42 years.

Costas, 72, has called games for TBS and MLB Network in recent years. He took some heat during the American League Division Series between the Royals and Yankees for a gaffe (calling a line drive on a single) and a disappointed tone on a Yankees double play.

The criticism of the first was valid, but it was somewhat misleading on the second – social media clips of Costas’ call for a double play left out the introduction to the call, as he discussed the Yankees slugger. That of Giancarlo Stanton limited ability to run. His tone wasn’t ideal, but it made more sense in the full context.

It’s a shame he didn’t have a great series the last time we hear him call baseball. Because for most of his career that he spent in stadiums, it was a pleasure to hear Costas call a game.

More to come on the Celtics

Celtics fans should expect to learn more details about the upcoming HBO Max docuseries about the 18-time NBA champions soon. What we know about Bill Simmons-produced project: It consists of nine parts and covers the history of the franchise, although the cameras followed the 2023-24 team on its journey to the championship. A decline is expected in the first months of 2025. Stay tuned.

Chad Finn can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow him @GlobeChadFinn.