MLB on FOX Strikes Out in Primetime

Posted by | 05/26/2012 at 8:55 am

The first of eight primetime MLB telecasts on FOX drew mediocre numbers last Saturday night.

Regional MLB action featuring Red Sox/Phillies in 39% of markets drew a 1.9 final rating and 2.913 million viewers on FOX last Saturday night, down 27% in ratings and 29% in viewership from last year (2.6, 4.103M), and down 30% and 32%, respectively, from 2010 (2.7, 4.309M).

The comparable telecasts both last year and in 2010 also aired in primetime.

Saturday’s telecast ranks as the lowest rated and least-viewed primetime regular season MLB telecast ever on FOX (eight telecasts dating back to 1998). The previous lows were a 2.2 rating and 3.433 million viewers for primetime action in June 2010.

With that said, the 1.9 rating is a marked improvement over recent afternoon coverage. Regional windows on May 5 and May 12 drew final ratings of just 1.2 and 1.3, respectively.

(Last Saturday’s numbers from Sports Business Daily)

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  • Stingbee30

    Baseball is a dying sport…It will be relevant, but it is too long and the season is way too long…The young generation has better things to do than watch Baseball.  In a decade or two, it will fall behind Football, Basketball, Soccer.  Soccer has a shot to be the no. 2 sport in the United States in a couple of decades.  Why: the demographic is pointing towards…

  • Bessilver

    Stingbee…baseball has already fallen behind basketball in terms of popularity.  The TV ratings, buzz surrounding the sport (B’Ball) has already shown that.  As far as soccer becoming the #2 sport in the U.S. in a couple of decades, I highly doubt that.  NBA/CBB & MLB are staplemates in this country, and have a large following that span generations. I can’t foresee any event in soccer, including having the World Cup on American soil again, boosting the MLS among the top 4 professional sports leagues.  Sorry!

    • Bullfrog374

      Have you looked at soccer ratings? The Manchester Derby scored a 10.15 tv rating among college students away from home. MLS might not be popular, but international soccer is huge among the youth.

  • Jeffrey

    Soccer is the sport of the future, and that is its problem: it’s ALWAYS the sport of the future. When Pele came to the NASL when I was a kid we all paid attention and many of us joined soccer leagues. We had a lot of fun, but when it was time to settle in front of the TV to watch sports, or read about them, or talk about sports amongst friends, soccer simply was never on our radar. It will always be a strong participatory sport, but I just don’t see people ditching the NFL in the fall to watch the MLS Cup.