The ratings disparity between the National and American league playoffs has been pronounced thus far.
Game 3 of the Cardinals/Cubs National League Division Series drew a 3.8 overnight rating on TBS Monday evening, up 171% from Giants/Nationals on MLB Network last year (1.4). The 3.8 is the highest of the series and ties the highest mark for the N.L. playoffs thus far.
The Cubs’ win drew a 27.7 rating in St. Louis, the market’s highest Division Series rating since Padres/Cardinals Game 4 on FOX in 2006. It had a 22.3 rating in Chicago, surpassing last week’s Cubs/Pirates Wild Card Game as the top MLB telecast in the market since the White Sox clinched the 2005 World Series.
The full TBS doubleheader had a 3.5 overnight. Turner Sports did not disclose national figures for Game 3 of Dodgers/Mets later in the night, but the Mets’ blowout win had a 10.9 rating in New York — the market’s highest for a Mets game since 2012. Ratings in Los Angeles were not available.
The American League playoffs have struggled by comparison. Monday’s overnights were not available, but viewership for the first six ALDS games declined by double-digits.
Sunday’s Game 3 of the Blue Jays/Rangers series had 2.4 million viewers on Fox Sports 1, down 45% from Angels/Royals last year (4.4M) and down 29% from Braves/Dodgers in 2013 (3.4M), both on TBS. Royals/Astros had 1.7 million on MLB Network earlier in the day, down 49% from Orioles/Tigers last year (3.3M) and down 23% from Cardinals/Pirates in 2013 (2.9M).
On Friday, Game 2 of Astros/Royals scored 1.8 million on FS1 — down 10% from Giants/Nationals last year (2.0M) and down 24% from Rays/Red Sox on TBS in 2013 (2.4M). MLB Network scored 1.6 million for Game 2 of Rangers/Blue Jays, down 31% from Tigers/Orioles last year (2.3M) but up 88% from Pirates/Cardinals on MLB Network in 2013 (832K).
As previously noted, Game 1 viewership dropped by 56% (Rangers/Blue Jays) and 21% (Astros/Royals).
(Mon. numbers from twitter.com/turnersportspr [1], [2], [3], [4]; wknd. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily [1], [2])
