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World Baseball Classic Set Records For Attendance, Ratings



The World Baseball Classic's popularity was clear from its attendance, including a crowd of 51,565 for the championship game Wednesday to watch the United States beat Puerto Rico 8-0. But the fourth edition of the event also set records for TV ratings, streaming and sales of merchandise, Major League Baseball said Thursday.

Attendance 
• The 2017 WBC drew a record 1,086,720, a 23-percent increase from 2013, which drew 885,212. The championship crowd of 51,565 was the second-largest crowd in tournament history.

Domestic TV 
• Wednesday's game attracted 3.1 million viewers on MLB Network, ESPN Deportes and a Spanish simulcast on ESPN2, the largest U.S. audience ever for a WBC game. 
• Viewership on MLB Network was up 32 percent from 2013. 
• The championship game drew 2.3 million on MLB Network alone, its second-largest viewing audience behind just Game Two of the 2016 NLDS between the Cubs and Giants.

International TV 
• In Puerto Rico, 70 percent of TVs were tuned into the WBC championship game.

Paul Goldschmidt

Team USA Routs Cuba To Advance To World Baseball Classic Championship Game

Team USA continued its offensive surge and routed Cuba 14-2 to punch its ticket to the World Baseball Classic championship game.

Digital and Streaming 
• WBC video views across MLB.com and other platforms was up 59 percent rom 2013, with more than three million views.

Merchandise Sales 
• Sales of WBC merchandise at MLBShop.com rose more than 50 percent rom 2013. 
• Concession sales in Tokyo were up 25 percent from 2013 in Fukuoka, which had the previous record. 
• Concession sales for the second round in San Diego were up 20 percent from 2009 in the same location.

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