Recent sports TV ratings news, including another drop for MLB on FOX, substantial declines for the AT&T National on CBS, and numbers for the first two stages of the Tour de France on NBC.
- FOX Earns Solid Numbers For Subway Series: Regional MLB action featuring Yankees/Mets earned a 2.0 final rating and 3.018 million viewers on FOX July 2, down a tick in ratings and 3% in viewership from last year (ATL/NYM*: 2.1, 3.094M), but the network’s highest rated, most-viewed afternoon telecast since April 9. The last five MLB telecasts on FOX (does not include July 9 window) have suffered declines compared to last year.
- Declines For AT&T National: Final round coverage of the PGA Tour AT&T National earned a 1.5 final rating and 2.236 million viewers on CBS July 3, down 17% in ratings and 15% in viewership from last year (1.8, 2.619M), and down 64% in both measures from 2009, the last time Tiger Woods won the event (4.2, 6.242M). Third round action on July 2 drew a 1.1 and 1.618 million, down 15% in ratings and 14% in viewership from last year (1.3, 1.878M), and down 52% and 53%, respectively, from ’09 (2.3, 3.410M).
- Over 900K For Tour de France on NBC: NBC drew a 0.62 U.S. rating and 976,000 viewers for tape-delayed coverage of Stage 1 of the Tour de France July 2. Taped coverage of Stage 2 on July 3 earned a 0.60 and 954,000. For some perspective, CBS’ lone Tour de France window last year earned a 0.5 and 626,000 viewers.
(Asterisk indicates featured game of regional window; numbers courtesy Robert Seidman, TV By the Numbers)
