Boosted By Big Markets, TBS Has Record MLB Postseason

The National League playoffs delivered record numbers for TBS.

TBS averaged a 3.9 rating and 6.3 million viewers for coverage of the N.L. playoffs, according to Nielsen fast-nationals — up 44% in ratings and 48% in viewership from coverage of the American League playoffs last year (2.7, 4.3M), and up 44% and 51%, respectively, from coverage of both leagues in 2013 (2.7, 4.2M).

This year’s postseason ranks as the highest rated and most-watched ever on Turner Sports (dates back to 2007), topping the previous highs of 3.6 and 5.6 million in 2010.

The four-game Mets/Cubs NLCS averaged a 4.8 rating and 7.9 million viewers, up 50% in ratings and 55% in viewership from last year’s four-game Royals/Orioles ALCS (3.2, 5.1M) and up 50% and 58%, respectively, from the six-game Cardinals/Dodgers NLCS in 2013 (3.2, 5.0M). Compared to last year’s five-game Giants/Cardinals NLCS on FS1, ratings and viewership increased by 71% and 77%, respectively, from a 2.8 and 4.5 million.

The Mets’ sweep was the most-watched LCS on any network since 2010, when Giants/Phillies averaged 9.1 million on FOX and Rangers/Yankees averaged 8.2 million on TBS. It also averaged the second-highest LCS rating over that span, trailing only Red Sox/Tigers on FOX in 2013 (4.9).

TBS benefited from the big market makeup of the N.L. playoffs, which featured #1 market New York (Mets), #2 Los Angeles (Dodgers) and #3 Chicago (Cubs). The Cubs were the biggest draw of all, helping TBS to the four largest baseball audiences on cable since 2011 — 9.2 million for Mets/Cubs Game 3, 8.3 million for the Cubs/Pirates Wild Card Game, and 7.9 million each for Games 1 and 4 of the Mets/Cubs series.

Of the 13 postseason games on TBS that could be compared to last year, each had a double or triple digit increase in ratings and viewership. All-but-one of those hit multi-year highs in both measures. Dating back to last year, 22 of the last 24 playoff games on TBS have had an increase in viewership over the previous postseason.

Ratings/Viewership For MLB Playoffs on TBS
Asterisk (*) indicates some games aired on TNT

(This year’s numbers from Turner Sports)