Red Sox-Yankees delivered season-high ratings on both FOX and ESPN last weekend.
Regional Major League Baseball action featuring Red Sox-Yankees in 67% of markets had a 1.6 rating and 2.55 million viewers on FOX last Saturday, up 23% in ratings and 24% in viewership from last year (ft. Cubs-Mets: 1.3, 2.05M), and up 23% and 22% respectively from 2017 (ft. Red Sox-Orioles: 1.3, 2.08M).
The telecast, which also included a rain-delayed Cubs-Cardinals game in 23% of markets, delivered the highest rating and largest audience of the Major League Baseball season. As one would expect, the three windows on broadcast television own the top three spots.
The following night, the same Red Sox-Yankees matchup had a 1.2 and 1.97 million on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball — up a third in ratings and 37% in viewership from last year (Red Sox-Astros: 0.9, 1.44M) and up 9% and 11% respectively from 2017 (Cardinals-Cubs: 1.1, 1.78M).
The Red Sox’ win, which peaked with 2.57 million viewers from 9-9:15 PM ET, was the highest rated and most-watched MLB telecast of the season on cable. The previous highs were 1.1 (two games) and 1.87 million (Braves-Phillies on March 31).
Sunday Night Baseball ratings and viewership have now increased for five straight weeks, a marked turnaround after the series opened the season with five straight declines. Sunday Night Baseball is now averaging 1.51 million viewers, up 3% from last year (1.46M).
Neither game could match last year’s first weekend series between the rivals, which took place a few weeks later in the season. Their lone matchup on FOX had a 2.0 and 3.23 million — albeit benefiting from the World Cup halo lifting Fox Sports programming at the time — and their first meeting on Sunday Night Baseball a 1.5 and 2.44 million.
Keep in mind that both telecasts faced championship-level competition. Saturday’s FOX regional window aired opposite Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, and while the NHL game only barely beat baseball nationally (1.6, 2.93M), Bruins-Blues dominated in Boston (20.6 to 5.6) and St. Louis (16.2 to 4.7).
Rounding out the series, Friday’s game had a 0.29 and 422,000 (+58%) on MLB Network. In other recent MLB action, Astros-Mariners scored 515,000 viewers on ESPN Monday night (+17%) and Brewers-Pirates had a 0.28 rating (-10%) and 434,000 viewers (-9%) on FS1 Saturday afternoon.
[Numbers from Nielsen via ShowBuzz Daily 6.4 a, b, ESPN PR 6.4]
