After a pair of blockbuster Wild Card games, the MLB Division Series started slowly on Fox Sports 1.
Game 1 of the Astros/Royals American League Division Series drew a 2.0 final rating and 3.3 million viewers on FS1 Thursday night, down 27% in ratings and 21% in viewership from Royals/Angels last year (2.7, 4.2M) and down 14% and 7%, respectively, from Dodgers/Braves in 2013 (2.3, 3.5M), both on TBS.
The Astros’ win had a 26.6 rating in Kansas City and an 11.2 in Houston, per Sports Business Daily, with both markets setting network records.
Earlier in the day, Game 1 of the Rangers/Blue Jays series had just 1.8 million viewers — down 56% from Tigers/Orioles last year (4.0M) and down 33% from Pirates/Cardinals in 2013 (2.6M). The rating was not immediately available.
Excluding games on MLB Network, the Rangers’ win ranks as the least-watched MLB playoff telecast since Game 2 of the 2012 Reds/Giants NLDS (1.5M) — a game on TNT that overlapped with Yankees/Orioles on TBS (4.2M). Keep in mind the game had only one home market, as Toronto does not factor into U.S. television ratings. Dallas-Ft. Worth drew a 6.6 for the game, a local record on FS1.
Last year’s Division Series openers on FS1, which took place on a Friday, drew a 1.3 and 2.0 million (Giants/Nationals) and a 2.2 and 3.6 million (Cardinals/Dodgers).
(Thu. numbers via TV Media Insights, Sports Business Daily)
