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College World Series shows that WVU baseball is a ratings draw

The West Virginia Mountaineers have the ability to draw eyes to TV screens.
ByJoseph Smith|
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Jun 17, 2026; Omaha, NE, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers second baseman Gavin Kelly (2) signals after hitting a home run against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the eighth inning at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images
Jun 17, 2026; Omaha, NE, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers second baseman Gavin Kelly (2) signals after hitting a home run against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the eighth inning at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

The West Virginia Mountaineers made a lot of history during their imprsive 2026 campaign, which saw the Mountaineers advance to the College World Series for the first time ever. And one piece of history which was made by the program proves that WVU sports isn't just a fun underdog story on the national stage – they're a serious TV attraction.

The numbers are in, and the pre-finals period of this year's College World Series was the most watched in the events history, and drew an average of 1.4 millions viewers between June 12 and June 17 – that's an increase of 34% from the previous year.

In addition, West Virginia and North Carolina's meeting on June 14 in the College World Series average 2 millions viewers, and peaked with 2.3 million viewers – which made it the third-most watched pre-finals College World Series game in history, and the most-watched pre-finals game this season.

The West Virginia Mountaineers draw third-most viewers in hsitory for pre-finals College World Series games

Now, not all the credit goes to WVU here. All eight teams fan bases, as well as the growing popularity of college baseball, factor into the ratings boon for the pre-finals games compared to previous years. And for the most-watched game this year and third most-watched in the event's history, UNC fans did contribute as well – and the Tar Heels are also quite the passionate fan base.

But with all that being said, it does go to show that when the Mountaineers are on television, they draw eyeballs to screens. A lot of it is their natural fan base, while a small chunk is likely neutral fans who like to support the Mountaineers – who do often fill the role of the gritty outsider or underdog on the national stage. But despite being from a smaller stage and outside any of the traditional major TV markets, West Virginia games do often draw significant attention.

And in today's world, where another round of conference realignment feels inevitable, and TV revenue is a massive driver, it's important to see WVU make it onto the national stage and draw significant ratings like this. It is a reminder to those with power who make important decisions that the Mountaineers can be a ratings draw.

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