If the first two games are any indication, Yankees-Red Sox ratings will be through the proverbial roof. Also: last week’s NASCAR Xfinity Series and Formula 1 ratings; mixed results for Thursday’s NHL on NBCSN.
Yankees-Red Sox Overnights Up Big
Game 1 of the Yankees-Red Sox American League Division Series earned a 4.4 overnight rating on TBS Friday night, up 69% from last year (Cubs-Nationals: 2.6) and the highest for any Division Series opener since 2010 (Yankees-Twins). Overnights peaked at a 5.0 from 8:45-9 PM ET.
On Saturday, Game 2 delivered a 3.9 overnight — up 77% from last year (D’Backs-Dodgers: 2.2) and the highest Division Series overnight on a Saturday night since 2008.
Xfinity Series Up, With Caveat, at Charlotte
Last Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race from Charlotte earned a 0.6 rating and 943,000 viewers, up 53% in ratings and 57% in viewership from last year, when the race was postponed several hours due to rain and aired in primetime (0.38, 601K). Compared to the last time the race was run as scheduled — on a Friday night back in 2015 — viewership fell two percent from 962,000.
In other action, last Sunday’s Formula 1 Russian Grand Prix had a 0.27 and 390,000 on ESPN2 — down 16% in ratings and 25% in viewership from last year, when it aired on NBCSN in May (0.32, 521K). Keep in mind NBCSN’s figures included pre-race coverage.
Mixed Results For Thursday NHL on NBCSN
NBCSN scored 227,000 viewers for Thursday’s Flyers-Golden Knights NHL regular season game, up 7% from Flyers-Kings in the same window last year (212K). Earlier in the night, Predators-Rangers had 194,000 — down 49% from last year (Wild-Red Wings: 379K) and down 61% from Capitals-Penguins in 2016 (500K).
UPDATED 10/7 to include Saturday’s Yankees-Red Sox Game 2 overnights.
[Numbers from Turner Sports PR/Twitter 10.6, 10.7; ShowBuzz Daily 10.3; Programming Insider 10.5]
