Up 7-0 with seven outs to go in Game 5, the Tampa Bay Rays decided to help out TBS and delay their coronation by a few games. TBS could not be more grateful.
Games 6 and 7 of the Rays/Red Sox American League Championship Series drew massive ratings over the weekend, topped by a record setting rating for Game 7.
The Rays’ 3-1 victory in Game 7 drew a 7.9 national rating (9.2 cable rating) and 13.4 million viewers on TBS Sunday night, easily the highest rated, most viewed Major League Baseball game in the history of cable television. The previous record holder was 9.1 million viewers for the game where Mark McGwire hit his 61st home run.
The 13.4 million viewers makes Red Sox/Rays the second most viewed cable program of the year, behind a Monday Night Football game between the Eagles and Cowboys, and the highest rated, most viewed program in the history of TBS.
To put the numbers in perspective, Game 7 on cable matched the viewership total for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on ABC, and drew more viewers than all but three NCAA Tournament telecasts. The 13.4 million viewers also surpasses the totals from three of the five BCS games on FOX and ABC in January.
To give you an idea of the difference between broadcast and cable, Game 7 was still down 32% and 29% from an 11.7/18 and 19 million viewers for last year’s ALCS Game 7 between the Red Sox and Indians. Additionally, Red Sox/Rays is the lowest rated, least viewed MLB Game 7 ever.
Still, to draw such a large audience on cable can only be construed as an overwhelming success.
Game 6 on Saturday night also drew impressive ratings. The Red Sox’ final win of 2008 drew a 5.4 with 8.9 million viewers, the third-highest total of the year for a non-NFL sports program on cable, behind Game 7 and the Home Run Derby in July.
Overall, the 2008 American League Championship Series averaged a 4.6 rating and 7.4 million viewers, up 64% and 72% from a 2.8 with 4.3 million for last year’s Rockies/Diamondbacks NLCS, which aired on TBS. Compared to last year’s ALCS, which aired on FOX, Rays/Red Sox was down 38% and 36% from a 7.4 with 11.6 million for Red Sox/Indians. The 2008 ALCS and NLCS will finish as the second and third least viewed, respectively, in the history of Major League Baseball.
Viewership for 2008 ALCS.
6.7 mil: Game 1 (Fri., 10/10, 8:30 PM TBS)
6.0 mil: Game 2 (Sat., 10/11, 8 PM TBS)
4.5 mil: Game 3 (Mon., 10/13, 4:30 PM TBS)
5.7 mil: Game 4 (Tue., 10/14, 8 PM TBS)
7.2 mil: Game 5 (Thu., 10/16, 8 PM TBS)
8.9 mil: Game 6 (Sat., 10/18, 8 PM TBS)
13.4 mil: Game 7 (Sun., 10/19, 8 PM TBS)
