The numbers were still among the lowest ever, but the 2014 MLB All-Star Game managed to hit a four-year high in ratings and viewership on FOX.
The 2014 MLB All-Star Game earned a 7.0 rating and 11.3 million viewers on FOX Tuesday night, according to Nielsen fast-nationals — up a tick in ratings and 3% in viewership from last year (6.9, 11.0M), up 3% and 4%, respectively, from 2012 (6.8, 10.9M), and the highest rated and most-watched edition of the game since 2010 (7.5, 12.1M).
As FOX noted in a press release, this marks the first time since the 1994 strike that television ratings have improved for the All-Star Game in consecutive years.
Despite the improved numbers, this year’s All-Star Game still ranks as the fourth-lowest rated and least-viewed ever. Including the 2010 game, each of the bottom five has taken place in this decade. Prior to the start of the decade, the lowest rated and least-viewed All-Star Game managed an 8.1 and 12.3 million viewers (2005).
The MLB All-Star Game drew a higher rating than the NFL Pro Bowl (7.0 to 6.7), but had slightly fewer viewers (11.3M to 11.4M). This marks the fifth straight year the Pro Bowl has been the most-watched pro sports All-Star game. The NBA All-Star Game finished much further behind with a 4.3 and 7.5 million on TNT, albeit against the Winter Olympics.
Compared to other sporting events, the All-Star Game topped the final round of The Masters (6.8, 11.0M) and the rain-delayed Daytona 500 (5.6, 9.3M).
Host-city Minneapolis was the top market for the All-Star Game with a 16.6 rating, the market’s top performance for the exhibition in six years. Detroit (15.1), St. Louis (14.3), Pittsburgh (12.4) and Milwaukee (12.0) rounded out the top five. In New York, home market for retiring Yankees SS Derek Jeter, the game drew an 11.9 rating — up 5% from last year, when it was the host city.
Ratings for the game in the adults 18-49 demographic were not immediately available.
(Tue. numbers from Fox Sports)
