TBS attracted solid numbers for the opening game of the Major League Baseball playoffs.
Tuesday’s Athletics/Royals American League Wild Card Game drew a 3.3 final rating and 5.2 million viewers on TBS, up 10% in ratings and 12% in viewership from Reds/Pirates last year (3.0, 4.6M). Last year’s Rays/Indians A.L. Wild Card Game aired on a Wednesday night, earning a 3.0 and 4.7 million.
The Royals’ win earned the second-highest rating and viewership for any MLB Wild Card Game (five telecasts), trailing only Orioles/Rangers in 2012 (3.4, 5.3M). Overall, it ranks third out of the nine one-game playoffs since the turn of the century, trailing only Orioles/Rangers and the 2009 Tigers/Twins A.L. Central tiebreaker (4.2, 6.5M).
Ratings and viewership peaked at a 4.1 and 6.5 million from 11:30-11:45 PM ET, more than an hour before the game ended. With extra innings pushing the finish close to 1 AM ET, it is likely some East Coast viewers had to check out early.
(Tue. numbers from Turner Sports)
