Though the numbers were still not much to write home about, MLB on FOX got off to its best start in primetime since 2012.
Regional Major League Baseball action on FOX earned a 1.6 final rating and 2.7 million viewers Saturday night, up 33% in ratings and 47% in viewership from the network’s debut last year, which took place one week later in the season (1.2, 1.8M), and up 7% and 20%, respectively, from the network’s first primetime telecast in 2013 (1.5, 2.3M).
The telecast earned the highest rating in three years for the season’s first primetime window on FOX, and the largest audience in four. It also outdrew all-but-one of last year’s 12 FOX telecasts, trailing a June 28 window that featured Yankees/Red Sox (2.8M). For the season, it trails only Cardinals/Cubs on Opening Night (2.0, 3.4M) as the highest rated and most-watched MLB telecast on any network.
Coverage faced the usual tough late May competition, trailing a Blackhawks/Ducks NHL playoff game on NBC (1.8, 2.8M) and a Warriors/Rockets NBA playoff game on ESPN (3.6, 5.7M).
In other action Saturday, Fox Sports 1 drew 465,000 viewers for Brewers/Braves.
(Sat. numbers via TV Media Insights, ShowBuzz Daily)
