SBS, the undisputed leader in WBC broadcasts, once again topped the ratings, cementing its solo dominance. SBS's "ultimate broadcast trio" of commentator Lee Dae-ho, commentator Lee Soon-chul and caster Jung Woo-young carried an overwhelming record of first place in ratings from the WBC warm-up games through the main tournament.
SBS swept every metric, recording a 2.5% household rating in the Seoul metropolitan area for the 2026 WBC game between Japan and Taiwan, a 1.1% rating among viewers ages 20 to 49, and 320,000 viewers. The peak household minute rating rose as high as 3.3%, and on a nationwide basis it recorded a 2.3% household rating, a 1.2% 20-49 rating and 470,000 viewers, once again proving the formula "WBC broadcasts are on SBS." (Nielsen Korea)
The reason SBS maintained the No. 1 rating was the broadcasting team's brilliant commentary that vividly conveyed the energy at the Tokyo Dome on the 6th. The "ultimate trio" of commentators Lee Dae-ho and Lee Soon-chul and caster Jung Woo-young delivered a three-dimensional account of Shohei Ohtani's explosive hitting and the strength of Japan's lineup, fully demonstrating their credentials as the channel baseball fans trust most.
The day's protagonist was unquestionably Shohei Ohtani. After registering a double in his first at-bat in the first inning, Ohtani hit a grand slam in his second at-bat in the second inning that cleared the Tokyo Dome wall, turning the stadium into a frenzy. The moment Ohtani's homerun landed, caster Jung Woo-young said, "Showtime has begun!" conveying the stadium's excitement to viewers at home. Commissioner Lee Dae-ho also could not hide his admiration, saying, "Amazing. He lightly tapped a slow breaking ball and it just went over." Commissioner Lee, mentioning pregame batting practice, added, "I have never seen a hit that cleared even the lights above the outfield billboards. Watching today's game, I was again stunned."
Another reason SBS's broadcast is chosen by fans is its in-depth analysis that goes beyond simple on-site reporting. Commissioner Lee Soon-chul gave a precise analysis of Ohtani's hitting mechanism, saying, "He is transferring the pitching's centrifugal force directly to the bat. That's a key reason for the distance even with that stance." He also warned about Japan's strengthened lineup. Commissioner Lee Dae-ho advised, "Japanese hitters can produce hits by lightly directing the ball along the course even without swinging hard," and added, "Our national team juniors must be sure to be wary of this."
Having confirmed Japan's firepower, the world's attention now turns to the showdown between Korea and Japan. After achieving first place in ratings three consecutive times and creating the formula "WBC broadcasts are indeed on SBS," the trio of Lee Dae-ho, Lee Soon-chul and Jung Woo-young now prepare for the fateful Korea-Japan match. SBS will televise live the biggest group-stage matchup, the Korea-Japan game, on Saturday the 7th starting at 6 p.m.
[Photo] SBS
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