For the fifth time in the past decade, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game set an all new record low in the ratings.
The 2011 MLB All-Star Game drew a 6.9 final rating and 10.97 million viewers on FOX Tuesday night, down 8% in ratings and 9% in viewership from last year (7.5, 12.118M), and down 23% and 25%, respectively, from 2009 (8.9, 14.593M).
The game ranks as the lowest rated, least-viewed MLB All-Star Game ever. The previous lows were set last year.
Since the 1994 MLB strike, ratings for the MLB All-Star Game have set or tied a record low ten times — in 1995 (13.9), 1996 (13.2), 1997 (11.8), 2000 (10.1), 2002 (9.5), 2003 (9.5), 2004 (8.8), 2005 (8.1), 2010 (7.5) and 2011 (6.9).
The All-Star Game drew a lower rating and fewer viewers than the 2011 NFL Pro Bowl on FOX (7.7, 13.046M), but still managed to top the 2011 NBA All-Star Game on TNT (5.2, 9.093M) and the 2011 NHL All-Star Game on Versus (0.8, 1.481M).
This is the second straight year the MLB All-Star Game has attracted fewer viewers than the oft-maligned Pro Bowl.
Despite the record low numbers, the MLB All-Star Game still compares favorably to some marquee sporting events. Tuesday’s game drew more viewers than all but three games of the 2010 MLB League Championship Series, all but one game of the 2011 NBA Conference Finals, all but one game of the 2011 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight, every game of the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Final, and the 2011 Fiesta and Orange Bowls.
The All-Star Game also drew a higher rating than Game 3 of last year’s World Series (SF/TEX: 6.7), which was the second-lowest rated World Series game ever.
In the key adults 18-49 demographic, the game drew a 3.1 rating — down 18% from last year (3.8) and down 34% from 2009 (4.7). Both the Pro Bowl (4.7) and NBA All-Star Game (4.0) drew higher ratings in the demo.
In both total viewers and adults 18-49, the All-Star Game was outdrawn Tuesday night by America’s Got Talent on NBC (14.07M, 4.0 A18-49).
(This year’s numbers from FOX Sports via TV By the Numbers; additional information from TV By the Numbers)
