While the 2008 National League Championship Series got off to a good start compared to last year, the ratings were not overly impressive.
Game 1 between the Dodgers and Phillies drew a 5.1/8 national rating and 7.7 million viewers on FOX Thursday night, up 42% and 45% from a 3.6 with 5.3 million for Rockies/Diamondbacks Game 1 on TBS last year. Compared to last year’s ALCS, which aired on FOX, Dodgers/Phillies was up 6% and 4% from a 4.8/9 with 7.4 million viewers for Red Sox/Indians Game 1, which aired at 7 PM on a Friday night.
Compared to Indians/Red Sox in ’07, ratings for Game 1 were up 14% and 24%, respectively, among adults 18-49 and 18-34. In the elusive Men 18-34 demo, ratings were up 29%.
Though the ratings for Game 1 were up from ’07, the 5.1 is the fourth lowest rating for a prime time LCS game on broadcast since at least ’02, and the lowest during that span for a telecast that did not air on a Friday or Saturday night, the two lowest rated nights of the week.
Lowest ratings for prime time LCS telecasts on broadcast.
since 2002
4.8/9: Indians/Red Sox Game 1 (Fri., 10/12/07, 7 PM FOX)
4.9/9: Mets/Cardinals Game 3 (Sat., 10/14/06, 7:30 PM FOX)
4.9/9: White Sox/Angels Game 4 (Sat., 10/15/05, 8 PM FOX)
5.1/8: Dodgers/Phillies Game 1 (Thu., 10/9/08, 8 PM FOX)
5.6/11: Twins/Angels Game 4 (Sat., 10/12/02, 8 PM FOX)
