Viewership has declined for most of the Major League Baseball Division Series games thus far.
On Tuesday, Game 3 of the Tigers/Athletics American League Division Series drew 4.216 million viewers on TBS, down 40% from Yankees/Tigers Game 4 last year (7.012M), and down 9% from Phillies/Reds Game 3 on the fifth night of the 2010 postseason (4.653M).
Earlier in the night, Giants/Reds Game 3 drew 3.620 million — down 22% from Phillies/Cardinals Game 3 last year (4.617M), and down 15% from Giants/Braves Game 3 in 2010 (4.238M).
The previous night, Game 2 between the Yankees and Orioles scored 4.222 million viewers, down 30% from Yankees/Tigers Game 3 last year (6.046M), and down 12% from Twins/Yankees Game 3 of the fourth night of the 2010 postseason (4.810M).
In the first game of Monday’s doubleheader, Nationals/Cardinals Game 2 drew 2.670 million — down 23% from Rangers/Rays Game 3 last year (3.474M), and down 24% from Rays/Rangers Game 3 in 2010 (3.513M).
Only one game so far during the Division Series has managed an increase over last year — Sunday’s Yankees/Orioles Game 1. The game drew 3.749 million viewers, up 4% over Cardinals/Phillies Game 2 last year (3.749M), but down 18% from Braves/Giants 2 on the third night of the 2010 postseason (4.774M).
Viewership For First Five Days of MLB Postseason on TBS
With comparisons to last year’s comparable windows
| Date | Time (ET) | Away | Home | Gm # | Net | Viewers (000) | vs. ’11 | ’11 Game/Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri., 10/5/12 | 5:00 PM | Cardinals | Braves |
WC
|
TBS |
3,990
|
+39%
|
TB/TEX (5:00 PM) |
| 8:30 PM | Orioles | Rangers |
WC
|
TBS |
5,304
|
N/A
|
NONE | |
| Sat., 10/6/12 | 6:00 PM | Athletics | Tigers |
1
|
TBS |
3,091
|
-18%
|
STL/PHI (5:00 PM) |
| 9:30 PM | Reds | Giants |
1
|
TBS |
3,119
|
-26%
|
DET/NYY (8:30 PM) | |
| Sun., 10/7/12 | 3:00 PM | Nationals | Cardinals |
1
|
TBS |
2,518
|
-14%
|
DET/NYY (3:00 PM) |
| 8:40 PM | Yankees | Orioles |
1
|
TBS |
3,903
|
+4%
|
STL/PHI (8:30 PM) | |
| 9:30 PM | Reds | Giants |
2
|
TNT |
1,459
|
N/A
|
NONE | |
| Mon., 10/8/12 | 4:30 PM | Nationals | Cardinals |
2
|
TBS |
2,670
|
-23%
|
TEX/TB (5:00 PM) |
| 8:00 PM | Yankees | Orioles |
2
|
TBS |
4,222
|
-30%
|
NYY/DET (8:30 PM) | |
| Tue., 10/9/12 | 5:30 PM | Giants | Reds |
3
|
TBS |
3,620
|
-22%
|
PHI/STL (5:00 PM) |
| 9:00 PM | Tigers | Athletics |
3
|
TBS |
4,216
|
-40%
|
NYY/DET (8:30 PM) |
(Numbers from The Futon Critic [1], [2], [3], TV By the Numbers)
