After a multi-year high for Opening Night, Opening Day of the MLB season increased by double-digits on ESPN.
ESPN and ESPN2 averaged a 0.6 rating and 803,000 viewers for Monday’s MLB Opening Day quadrupleheader, up a tick in ratings and 21% in viewership from last year’s five-game slate (0.5, 666K), but down a tick and 16%, respectively, from four games in 2013 (0.7, 961K).
Despite overlapping with college basketball’s national championship game, Indians/Astros was the top draw of the day with 1.1 million viewers — up 53% from Rockies/Marlins on ESPN2 last year (703K) and up 7% from Phillies/Braves on ESPN2 in 2013 (1.0M). The Astros’ win was the only Opening Day game to top the one million viewer mark.
Blue Jays/Yankees drew 870,000 earlier in the day, up 27% from Cubs/Pirates last year (684K) but down 22% from Red Sox/Yankees in 2013 (1.1M). Mets/Nationals drew 775,000 later in the afternoon, down 6% from Cardinals/Reds last year (825K) and down 20% from Giants/Dodgers in 2013 (963K). Keep in mind last year’s afternoon games overlapped with Red Sox/Orioles on ESPN2 (465K).
The final game of the day, Giants/Diamondbacks on ESPN2, earned 555,000 viewers — down 18% from Mariners/Angels last year (677K) and down 21% from Cardinals/Diamondbacks in 2013 (704K).
Overall ESPN and ESPN2 averaged a 0.9 rating and 1.4 million viewers for MLB Opening Night and Opening Day, up 50% in ratings and 48% in viewership from last year (0.6, 926K). That includes a 2.0 and 3.4 million for Cubs/Cardinals on Opening Night, the most-watched season-opener on the ESPN networks in seven years. Among adults 18-49, ratings have improved 67% from a 0.3 to a 0.5.
(Mon. numbers via ESPN Media Zone, ShowBuzz Daily)
