Freeway Series Television Ratings and Attendance Explode as Crosstown Rivalry Boosts LA Teams

Any fan of the Angels or Dodgers can attest the Freeway Series is a special match up. Mixed fan groups pack the stadiums and tune into the local broadcasts. Text messages and trash talk fly back and forth among family members and friends on opposite sides of the rivalry.

And in a baseball mad area like Southern California, that is big business for both baseball clubs and the networks that carry the games. While baseball is most closely associated with the crack of the bat, the sound of the Freeway Series is the ring of a cash register.

Local broadcast ratings surge for the Freeway Series.

On a typical summer evening roughly 70,000 to 85,000 households will tune in to watch an Angels game. But put the Dodgers in the mix and that number surges to 350,000 to 400,000 households. And that is just for the Angels broadcast.

Currently on top of the baseball world, the Dodgers broadcasts average about 103,000 households for the average game. But put the Halos in the opposing dugout and their viewership over quadruples as well.

The total combined rating in the Southern California area for the Freeway Series is typically 8.5 to 10, meaning roughly 1 in every 10 households is watching the games. Multiply that times the population in Southern California and that is nearly 1 million households.

Television ratings are given in terms of households rather than people and if the average household has 3 people in it, that means up to 3 million viewers.

For comparison's sake, the average NHL playoff game attracts roughly 1.2 million viewers nation wide.

Angels and Dodgers both pack the house for this series.

Freeway Series Sold Out Crowd — May 15, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages (44) runs after hitting a home run during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | William Liang-Imagn Images

When the Dodgers are playing in Anaheim demand for tickets surges. Most games are sold at 100% to 102% capacity as the Angels make standing room only tickets available. Do not expect to find any discounted tickets or promotions for the Freeway Series. The opposite is true as the team charges premium prices that are often triple those of regular games.

The modern era attendance record for the Angels hosting the Dodgers is 44,561 set in April of 2014. What is really notable about that figure is the official capacity of the Big A is 43,250 in its current configuration.

Dodgers Stadium has the largest capacity in baseball and even it is stretched to the seams for the Freeway Series. July 8, 2023 saw a Freeway Series crowd of 53,057 fans see the Dodgers defeat the Angels 10-5.

Also no dummies, the Dodgers charge premium prices for the Freeway Series as well. So both teams are selling a high volume of tickets for top dollar.

The real winners are the fans.

For those who can afford the tickets and go to the games the Freeway Series is a unique environment. A mix between a playoff atmosphere and college style rivalry, the stakes seem much higher than any other game that can be played before October.

But even those of us sitting on the couch at home with family and friends have the feeling of experiencing something special. I spent the evening texting with some lifelong friends who are Dodgers fans that I truly appreciate having in my life. Yes, we can interact at any time in the modern age but I know I can always count on my phone buzzing when these two teams square off. And I know this is a common thread among family and friends everywhere this weekend.

If Jose Soriano can repeat his last performance against the Dodgers perhaps I can be on the good end of the trash talk tonight. If not, well I had a good run last year. The Freeway Series has given the fans of both teams tons of exciting moments in the past and will continue to do so in the future.

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