Ratings down, viewership up for MLB All-Star Game.

Posted by | 07/15/2009 at 8:21 pm

FOX drew big numbers for the 2009 MLB All-Star Game.

The American League’s victory drew an 8.9/15 rating and 14.6 million viewers on FOX, down 4% in ratings but up 1% in viewers from a 9.3/16 and 14.5 million for the first nine innings of last year’s game. Compared to last year’s full fifteen-inning telecast, the 8.9 rating is up 3%.

Numbers peaked after 11 PM with a 9.3/17 and 15 million viewers.

This marks the most-viewed MLB All-Star Game since ’02. Additionally, the All-Star Game ranks as the fifth-most viewed sports program since the Super Bowl, behind the NCAA Men’s Basketball title game, the Kentucky Derby, the Daytona 500 and Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

To put the numbers in perspective, the MLB All-Star Game topped the Pro Bowl on FOX (5.4) by 65%, the NBA All-Star Game on TNT (4.5) by 98%, and the NHL All-Star Game (0.6) on Versus by 1,383%. Additionally, the game outdrew 4 of the 5 games of the 2009 NBA Finals, the final round of The Masters, and both NCAA Men’s Basketball National Semifinals.

10 most-viewed sports programs since the Super Bowl.

Date Event Net Viewers
Mon., 4/6/09 NCAA Nat’l Champ. Game, North Carolina/Michigan State CBS
17.6 mil
Sat., 5/2/09 Kentucky Derby, race segment NBC
16.3 mil
Thu., 6/11/09 NBA Finals, Lakers/Magic Game 4 ABC
16.0 mil
Sun., 2/15/09 Daytona 500 FOX
16.0 mil
Tue., 7/14/09 2009 MLB All-Star Game FOX
14.6 mil
Sat., 4/4/09 NCAA Final Four, Villanova/North Carolina CBS
14.5 mil
Sun., 4/12/09 The Masters, Final Round CBS
14.3 mil
Tue., 6/14/09 NBA Finals, Lakers/Magic Game 5 ABC
14.2 mil
Sun., 6/9/09 NBA Finals, Lakers/Magic Game 3 ABC
14.2 mil
Sun., 6/7/09 NBA Finals, Magic/Lakers Game 2 ABC
14.1 mil