CBS suffered a modest decline for its second week of SEC coverage. In other news, the second-to-last MLB on FOX telecast of the season dropped double-digits, and English Premier League coverage on the neetwork got off to a slower start.
- Soft Numbers For Missouri/South Carolina: Saturday’s Missouri/South Carolina college football game drew a 2.4 overnight rating on CBS, down 8% from Arkansas/Alabama last year (2.6), and down 56% from Alabama/Arkansas in 2010 (5.4). Despite the lower numbers, the game matched regional college football action airing on ABC at the same time (2.4). (Weekend numbers from Sports Business Daily)
- Double-Digit Drop For Season’s Penultimate MLB on FOX Telecast: Regional Major League Baseball action featuring Dodgers/Reds in 58% of markets drew a 1.4 overnight rating on FOX Saturday afternoon, down 18% from coverage featuring Rays/Red Sox last year (1.7), and down 30% from coverage featuring Red Sox/Yankees in 2010 (2.0). Excluding studio coverage, only Professional Bull Riding on CBS (0.5) and the English Premier League on FOX (1.0) drew lower overnights on broadcast over the football-saturated weekend. (Weekend numbers from Sports Business Daily)
- FOX EPL Debut Down From Last Year: Tape delayed coverage of Sunday’s Manchester United/Arsenal English Premier League match drew a 1.0 overnight rating on FOX, down 17% from the first EPL telecast on the network last season, which featured the same two teams (1.2). The 1.0 overnight trails all three of last year’s Sunday afternoon EPL telecasts on FOX. (Weekend numbers from Sports Business Daily)
