Viewership is up

for baseball

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball is having its most-viewed postseason in the U.S. in 15 years through the division series.

Viewership is averaging 4.33 million through the division series according to MLB and Nielsen, a 30% increase over last year and the best since 2010.

Last Friday’s 15-inning thriller between the Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers averaged 8.72 million viewers on Fox, Fox Deportes and streaming. The Mariners 3-2 victory in the fifth and deciding game of the AL Division Series was the most-watched division round game on Fox since Detroit’s Game 5 win over the New York Yankees in 2011 averaged 9.72 million.

The two AL Division Series on Fox, FS1 and FS2 averaged 4.15 million, the most-watched division round on any network since the NL Division Series on TBS (Cubs-Cardinals and Mets-Dodgers).

The series between Toronto and the Yankees, which the Blue Jays won in four games, averaged 7.65 million in the U.S. and Canada.

Viewership for all four division series in the U.S. averaged 4.17 million, its highest since 2011, and a 17% jump from last year.

Blue Jays division series games in Canada averaged 3.65 million, a 10% increase from the team’s last ALDS appearance in 2016.

Sunday’s first game of the AL Championship Series between Seattle and Toronto averaged 5.31 million on Fox, Fox Deportes and streaming. That is a 32% increase over last year’s Game 1 of the ALCS between Cleveland and the Yankees on TBS.

Italy beats Israel

in qualifier

UDINE, Italy (AP) — The World Cup qualifier between Italy and Israel has taken place without major incidents amid a heavy police presence that included snipers on the stadium roof. Italy won 3-0 in a game that had been placed in the highest risk category despite a breakthrough ceasefire deal that has paused two years of war in Gaza.

There were skirmishes between protesters and police on the streets of Udine at a pro-Palestinian demonstration before the match but no disruptions during the game itself. The Israel team bus was escorted to the stadium by 13 police vehicles, including some from the special forces, and several motorbikes.

Spoelstra to

coach USA hoops

(AP) — USA Basketball has announced Erik Spoelstra as the new coach for the men’s team for the 2027 World Cup in Qatar and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Spoelstra, the Miami Heat’s longtime coach, takes over from Steve Kerr, who led the team to gold in Paris in 2024. Spoelstra expressed his excitement, telling The Associated Press that getting the job is the honor of a lifetime.

Grant Hill, USA Basketball’s managing director, praised Spoelstra as an outstanding coach and colleague. Spoelstra, who was part of Kerr’s staff, will be the third coach to lead the U.S. men in a home Olympics.

NFL shows no

clear favorites

(AP) — The NFL is more wide open than it’s been in years. There are no dominant teams this season, no unbeatens through six weeks. Only the Buccaneers and Colts have five wins. The Bills and Eagles have gone from 4-0 to losing two straight.

The Chiefs just evened their record at the expense of the Lions. The Steelers are quietly 4-1. The Packers have looked shaky since a 2-0 start. The banged-up 49ers along with the Seahawks, Rams, Lions, Patriots, Jaguars, Chargers, Broncos are 4-2.

The Falcons, Vikings and Bears are 3-2. The Commanders, who reached the NFC title game last season, fell to 3-3.