The 2015 World Series may have only lasted five games, but Fox reaped plenty of benefits from this year’s Fall Classic. While observers have talked about rating downturns for past World Series, the Mets-Royals gave Fox its most-watched five-game World Series since 2009 and increased ratings over last year’s seven-game series between Kansas City and San Francisco by 6%.

And one fact that Fox will point to is the fact that the median age of viewers for this year’s series dropped:

While much has been made of the aging MLB demo, the turnout for this year’s series was a slump-buster of sorts for Fox. Per Nielsen, the median age of the World Series audience was 54.6 years, down a full year from last season’s record high of 55.6 years.

While that may not be a big drop, it does end a streak of the World Series’ median age increasing year-by-year.

Fox gleefully points out that its key demographics increased from last year: males 12-17 were up 19% from 2014, (1.9 vs. 1.6); males in the 12-24 category were up a big 24% (2.6 vs. 2.1); males 18-34 increased by 12% (3.8 vs. 3.4); the important males 18-49 range saw a whopping 30% spike (5.2 vs. 4.0); males in the 25-54 demo went up 32% (6.2 vs. 4.7) and the overall 18-49 demo was also up 32% (4.1 vs. 3.1).

Does this mean World Series is stemming the tide against its aging audience or is this a one-time aberration? We’ll have to see next year’s ratings to determine if this will become a trend.

But in the meantime, Fox is pleased over its ratings and revenue for this year’s World Series.

[Advertising Age]