The Yankees/Red Sox rivalry appears to be losing some of its ratings mojo on FOX.
Last Saturday’s Yankees/Red Sox game drew a 2.3/6 final rating and 3.5 million viewers on FOX, up 53% in ratings from a 1.5/4 on the comparable date last year, but tied as the lowest rating for a Yankees/Red Sox game on FOX in the past three seasons.
The 2.3 rating, while good for an MLB telecast, is unusually low for a Yankees/Red Sox game. To put the rating in perspective, at least 21 of the previous 26 Yankees/Red Sox games on FOX drew a 2.5 rating or higher.
The lower than usual rating does not appear to reflect less interest in the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry, as ESPN drew a substantially higher 3.0 rating and 4.6 million viewers for its Yankees/Red Sox telecast on Sunday night.
On a more positive note, Saturday’s game marked the third straight week of double-digit ratings growth for MLB on FOX. Additionally, the game was the 7th MLB telecast on FOX this season to draw at least a 2.0 rating.
Through last Saturday, FOX is averaging a 1.9 rating for MLB coverage, down 10% from a 2.1 through the same point last year, down 21% from a 2.4 through the same point in ’07, and on pace to set an all-time record low for the MLB on broadcast.
Ratings for every Yankees/Red Sox regular season game on FOX since ’02.
Asterisk (*) indicates overnight rating
^: Game aired in prime time
| Date | Game | Net | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., 8/22/09 | Yankees at Red Sox | FOX | |
| Sat., 8/8/09 | Red Sox at Yankees | FOX | |
| Sat., 4/25/09 | Yankees at Red Sox | FOX | |
| Sat., 9/27/08 | Yankees at Red Sox | FOX | |
| Sat., 7/26/08 | Yankees at Red Sox | FOX | |
| Sat., 7/5/08 | Red Sox at Yankees | FOX | |
| Sat., 4/12/08 | Yankees at Red Sox | FOX | |
| Sat., 9/15/07 | Yankees at Red Sox | FOX | |
| Sat., 6/2/07 | Yankees at Red Sox | FOX | |
| Sat., 4/28/07 | Red Sox at Yankees | FOX | |
| Sat., 4/21/07 | Yankees at Red Sox | FOX | |
| Sat., 9/16/06 | Red Sox at Yankees | FOX | |
| Sat., 8/19/06 | Yankees at Red Sox | FOX | |
| Sat., 10/1/05 | Yankees at Red Sox | FOX | |
| Sat., 9/10/05 | Red Sox at Yankees | FOX | |
| Sat., 7/16/05 | Yankees at Red Sox | FOX | |
| Sat., 5/28/05 | Red Sox at Yankees | FOX | |
| Sat., 9/18/04 | Red Sox at Yankees | FOX | |
| Sat., 7/24/04 | Yankees at Red Sox | FOX | |
| Fri., 4/16/04^ | Yankees at Red Sox | FOX | |
| Sat., 9/6/03 | Red Sox at Yankees | FOX | |
| Sat., 8/30/03 | Yankees at Red Sox | FOX | |
| Sat., 7/26/03 | Yankees at Red Sox | FOX | |
| Sat., 7/5/03 | Red Sox at Yankees | FOX | |
| Sat., 7/20/02 | Red Sox at Yankees | FOX | |
| Sat., 6/1/02 | Red Sox at Yankees | FOX |
