Though the bump up from ESPN2 to ESPN had no effect on the numbers, MLB Opening Night still did well in the metered markets.
The Mets/Royals MLB Opening Night game earned a 2.1 overnight rating on ESPN Sunday, matching Cardinals/Cubs on ESPN2 last year and up 40% from Dodgers/Padres on ESPN in 2014 (1.5). The 2.1 is tied as the highest for Opening Night since Yankees/Red Sox in 2010 (2.4).
Head-to-head, the World Series rematch more-than-doubled the Washington/Syracuse Women’s Final Four game on ESPN2 (1.0). This year marked the first time that ESPN split its Women’s Final Four coverage between ESPN and ESPN2 to accommodate the MLB opener.
Locally, the Royals’ win had a 26.4 rating in Kansas City — the highest on record for an MLB Opening Day game on ESPN/ESPN2 (dates back to 2001).
In other action, Cardinals/Pirates drew a 1.4 overnight on ESPN and Blue Jays/Rays a 0.7 on ESPN2. There were no comparable windows last year.
(Wknd. numbers from ESPN Media Zone, ShowBuzz Daily; additional info from Twitter)
