College World Series 2023: LSU-Wake Forest matchup nets massive TV numbers
By Paul Harvey
Published:
The College World Series rolls into the Finals Saturday evening on the heels of one of the most exciting tournaments in recent memory.
Across both brackets, the CWS has been dominated by close games with 7 one-run affairs before the CWS Finals rolled around. And while Thursday’s decisive game between Wake Forest and LSU was a 2-0 final score, it did not lack for drama throughout.
Star hurlers Rhett Lowder and Paul Skenes went toe-to-toe while exchanging empty frames on the scoreboard. The 2 pitchers combined for 15 shutout innings and 15 total strikeouts before Tommy White walked off the game in the 11th inning.
The showdown between the No. 1 overall seed Wake Forest and LSU — a team that spent the majority of the season at No. 1 — lived up to the billing, and the viewership numbers back up the hype of the event. According to ESPN, Thursday’s matchup drew 2.091 million viewers on ESPN2.
Those numbers make Thursday’s game the most-watched CWS game ever (pre-Finals) on ESPN platforms. The 3 games between Wake Forest and LSU are also the most watched pre-Finals MCWS games ever on ESPN platforms.
Thursday’s @WakeBaseball & @LSUbaseball @NCAABaseball Semi Finals game scored another record audience –
⚾️ 2.091 million viewers (ESPN2)
⚾️ Most-watched pre-Finals game on ESPN platforms
⚾️ The trilogy between them has the top-3 pre-Finals #MCWS games on record (ESPN platforms) pic.twitter.com/KXFHfcstWD— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) June 23, 2023
Per LSU, the first matchup between the two sides from June 19 also eclipsed the 2-million viewers mark with 2.02 million for broadcast on ESPN. That gives LSU and Wake Forest the 2 most-watched baseball games — college or pro — on cable this year.
Primetime Powerhouse @ESPN | #GeauxTigers pic.twitter.com/8MLgZh1FxW
— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) June 24, 2023
While LSU ultimately took down Wake Forest to advance to the Finals, the series between the two teams is one that will live on in the memory of fans for a long time to come.
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
