Credit the Yankees’ absence, Joe Biden and Sarah Palin, and another year of quick, relatively unsuspenseful series for the downturn in ratings for the 2008 MLB Playoffs.
Through Sunday, TBS averaged a 3.3 cable rating and 4.3 million viewers for coverage of the Division Series, down 21% and 20% from a 4.2 with 5.4 million through the comparable day last year.
The most viewed game came on Sunday night, when the Red Sox’ extra inning loss to the Angels drew 6.2 million viewers — an impressive number, but down 27% from the 8.5 million viewers who tuned into Yankees/Indians Game 3 in the same timeslot last year.
Part of the drop can be attributed to last Thursday’s presidential debate, which drew over 70 million viewers. Game 2 of the short-lived Dodgers/Cubs series aired opposite the debate, with Biden/Palin drawing nearly a 40.0 in Chicago, compared to a 12.0 for the Cubs’ loss. TBS to some extent must be happy that the Division Series ended fairly early, as there will be no games opposite tonight’s Obama/McCain debate.
More than the Biden/Palin debate, the absence of the Yankees figures to account for most of the decline. The 4.3 million viewers for this year’s Division Series is down only 4% from last year’s coverage, when one excludes the Yankees’ four games against the Indians.
