The final game of the short-lived Tigers/Yankees American League Championship Series was the first to suffer a decline from last year.
Game 4 of the Yankees/Tigers American League Championship Series drew a 3.5 U.S. rating and 5.251 million viewers on TBS Thursday afternoon, down 5% in ratings and 7% in viewership from Brewers/Cardinals Game 4 last year (3.7, 5.650M), and down 44% and 47%, respectively, from Rangers/Yankees Game 4 in 2010 (6.3, 9.846M).
The comparable games last year and in 2010 aired in primetime. Thursday’s game began at 4 PM ET.
Compared to Game 4 of last year’s Rangers/Tigers ALCS on FOX (5.2, 8.370M), Thursday’s game declined by 33% in ratings and 37% in viewership.
Thursday’s game earned the smallest audience for a Game 4 of any League Championship Series since Rockies/Diamondbacks on TBS in 2007 (2.5, 3.803M) — coincidentally the last time a League Championship Series ended in a sweep. The weekday afternoon window no doubt impacted the numbers.
Locally, the Tigers’ series-clinching win scored a 30.6 rating in Detroit. In New York, the game drew an 8.7.
Complete ALCS averages will be available shortly.
(Thursday’s numbers from Turner Sports press release)
