The season debut of primetime baseball on FOX was a bust over the weekend.
Regional Major League Baseball action featuring Cardinals/Dodgers in 32% of markets drew a 1.7 overnight rating on FOX Saturday night, down 26% from coverage featuring Phillies/Cardinals last year (2.3), and down 50% from coverage featuring Mets/Yankees in 2011 (3.4).
The 1.7 overnight is the lowest ever for a primetime Major League Baseball telecast on broadcast TV. The previous low was a 2.3 overnight, set on two occasions last year.
Saturday’s telecast was outdrawn head-to-head by both the Red Wings/Blackhawks Stanley Cup playoff game on NBC (2.0) and the Spurs/Grizzlies NBA playoff game on ESPN (3.9).
The last five Major League Baseball telecasts on FOX have had less than a 2.0 overnight rating. Every telecast on FOX this season has drawn less than a 2.0 final rating.
(Saturday’s MLB/NBA overnights from Show Buzz Daily)
