Fox trots to an early sweeps lead

Fox has struggled to start the season, with low ratings for both new and returning shows.

But a strong World Series has lifted the network to the top in the November sweep, the four-week period used by local stations to set ad rates.

With three games of the series falling in the first week of the sweep, Fox holds a very comfortable lead over second-place NBC, with CBS and ABC lagging further behind.

Fox posted a 3.1 adults 18-49 rating from Oct. 29 to Nov. 4, the most recent data available.

That’s 35 percent ahead of No. 2 NBC, which has averaged a 2.3.

CBS drew a 1.9 during the first week, while ABC put up a 1.8. The CW is at 0.6.

Fox’s lead is due entirely to the World Series, which had games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday last week.

But Wednesday hit “Empire” also helped Fox maintain that lead, becoming the highest-rated non-sports show of the opening week with a 4.6.

Fox’s advantage could have been even larger.

The World Series, which averaged a 4.2, wrapped up in just five games. Had the series gone another game or two, ratings undoubtedly would have been even stronger than for the first five contests, as interest in World Series tends to spike in games six and seven.

Still, it’s likely NBC will catch up and eventually pass Fox during the final three weeks of the sweep. It has a huge advantage over the other networks, airing TV’s top-rated series, “Sunday Night Football.”

In fact, the year’s first two sweep periods have become largely a reflection of who has the strongest sports programming. NBC has won the past three November sweep periods thanks to “SNF.”

And whichever network has the Super Bowl usually wins February.

Interestingly, it’s ABC, currently fourth among the Big Four this sweeps, that has won the past two May sweep periods, the only time when sports doesn’t play a role in the outcome.

ABC is the only network without an NFL contract.

As for the Spanish-language networks, Univision is averaging 1.1 million viewers 18-49 so far, and sister network Unimas has averaged 300,000.

Tags: fox, november sweep, november sweep ratings, sweep periods, sweep ratings, sweeps, world series