On a stacked Saturday night, college football was the big winner in the ratings battle.
Regional action featuring Ohio State/Wisconsin or Oregon/USC drew a 4.2/8 rating and 6.7 million viewers on ABC Saturday night, up 45% from a 2.9 for comparable regional coverage last year. The game drew a 2.1/7 rating among adults 18-49, the top rating of the night in the demo among broadcast networks.
Not surprisingly, the baseball playoffs on cable finished behind football on broadcast. Phillies/Brewers Game 3 drew a 2.9 national rating and 4.6 million viewers from 6:30-10:13 PM Saturday night, down 3% and 2% from a 3.0 with 4.7 million for the comparable Diamondbacks/Cubs Game 3 last year.
The nightcap of the baseball doubleheader on TBS, Cubs/Dodgers Game 3, drew a 3.2 national rating and 5.2 million viewers, up 14% and 16% from a 2.8 with 4.5 million for the comparable Phillies/Rockies Game 3 in ’07.
Bringing up the rear on Saturday night was the third EliteXC Saturday Night Fights telecast on CBS, which drew a 2.7/5 rating and 4.6 million viewers from 9-11:22 PM Saturday. The 2.7 is the second highest so far, behind the first telecast on May 31 (3.0/6) and well ahead of the July 26 telecast (1.7/4).
Among adults 18-49, Saturday Night Fights drew a 2.0/6, behind Saturday Night Football on ABC.
Ratings for sporting events Saturday night.
4.2: Saturday Night Football on ABC, regional (Sat., 10/4, 8 PM ABC)
3.2: MLB on TBS, Cubs/Dodgers Game 3 (Sat., 10/4, 10:13 PM TBS)
2.9: MLB on TBS, Phillies/Brewers Game 3 (Sat., 10/4, 6 PM TBS)
2.7: EliteXC Saturday Night Fights on CBS (Sat., 10/4, 9 PM CBS)
