It has been one of the best weeks in franchise history for the Chicago White Sox as they have played three nationally televised games and won all three. The city of Chicago is still abuzz following Tim Anderson's incredible walk-off home run Thursday night to give the White Sox a 9-8 victory over the New York Yankees in the Field of Dreams game. The White Sox success in front of the entire country will have a dramatic effect on their popularity for years to come.

White Sox Made The Most Of Their Historic Nationally Televised Games

It started last Sunday night for the White Sox as they wrapped up a three-game sweep against the rival Cubs. The south side team hit three home runs during a five-run first inning that featured a lead-off home run by Anderson on the first pitch. Slugger Eloy Jimenez was the star of Sunday night's game as he hit two home runs and five RBIs in a 9-3 victory. Dylan Cease struck out 10 Cubs hitters while he and Jimenez beat the team that traded them to the White Sox.

What was memorable about Sunday's game was that it was the first regular-season baseball game to air on ABC since August of 1995. ESPN and ABC treated the broadcast as a special event utilizing retro graphics and replaying memorable highlights from previous games on ABC. Legendary announcer Al Michaels was interviewed for a whole inning and discussed several topics related to the White Sox, including manager Tony La Russa and Hall of Fame announcer Ken Harrelson.

The White Sox had an encore performance the following night in Minnesota as they blew out the Twins 11-1. The game was air nationally on ESPN as part of their Monday Night Baseball telecast. The country was treated to another two home runs and five RBI game by Jimenez, as Chicago's ace Lucas Giolito pitched eight innings allowing just one hit. Neither game earlier in the week could match the excitement and viewership of Thursday's Field of Dreams game in Iowa. In a back and forth classic against the Yankees, the White Sox power, pitching, and resiliency were on display in a game that will be remembered forever. Chicago hit four home runs as team captain Jose Abreu because the first player in MLB history to hit a home run in the state of Iowa. The game featured eight home runs total, five lead changes, and six runs scored collectively in the ninth inning. Anderson became a national hero with his dramatic walk-off home run with the moment being driven home with him bat drop immediately after making contact. The small 8,000 seat stadium went crazier than a 100,000 seat college football stadium. The game was the highest-rated regular MLB game in sixteen seasons, with the White Sox being the center of attention.

Everything Is Going to Change For The White Sox After This Week

The White Sox winning in front of a national audience three times in one week won't matter in the long run, but it is how they won and against who that matters. Chicago's south side team beat the Cubs and Yankees in the same week. Both the Cubs and Yankees have baseball's biggest fan bases and are the main reason why both Sunday's and Thursday's games were so highly viewed across the country. The White Sox beat each team in different fashions, with one being a dominating performance, while the other was a classic back and forth victory.

It is important to remember that before the 2020 season, the White Sox had gone over four seasons without a nationally televised game. The team had not been featured on Fox Saturday baseball since 2017 and had not been on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball in over five years. The country this week was also introduced to the fun and exciting core of young players that the White Sox have in Jimenez, Anderson, Giolito, Abreu, Michael Kopech, Yoan Moncada, Luis Robert, and Andrew Vaughn. In the three nationally televised games this week, Chicago hit 12 home runs and scored 29 runs. With MLB looking to attract a younger audience, a team as fun and exciting as the White Sox may be the main attraction moving forward.

Regardless of how far the White Sox go in the postseason, there will be a national demand to see their core players. It won't be a question of if Chicago will have a nationally televised game, but how many per season and if they will be featured in any future specialty games similar to the Field of Dreams game. With a World Series championship, the White Sox could develop a national fan base that rivals the Cubs, Red Sox, or Yankees. This week will go down as one of the best and most pivotal moments in franchise history for the White Sox. A team that wasn't assigned a beat reporter by the Chicago Tribune just two seasons ago is now on the verge of becoming the most popular team in the country. The White Sox were given a massive opportunity to showcase their ability in front of a national audience, and they capitalized to the fullest.