The 2008 Major League Baseball playoffs accounted for six of the top 20 most watched programs on cable last week, and helped TBS finish as the #1 network in prime time.
The most viewed playoff game of the week, which does not count games played on Monday, was Game 3 between the Angels and Red Sox. The Angels’ lone victory over the Red Sox drew a 3.9 national rating and 6.2 million viewers Sunday night, down 28% and 27% respectively from a 5.4 with 8.5 million for Indians/Yankees Game 3 last year. The game finished #8 for the week on cable, behind Monday Night Football and Vice Presidential Debate coverage.
In Boston, Games 3 and 4 of the Red Sox series against the Angels drew ratings of 24.7 for both games — higher than all but two Celtics’ NBA Finals games last June. In Los Angeles, Game 4 drew a 9.3 rating.
The next most viewed game was Dodgers/Cubs Game 1 on Wednesday night, which finished 10th for the week with a 3.5 rating and 5.4 million viewers, down 5% and 2% from a 3.7 with 5.5 million for Red Sox/Angels Game 1 in ’07.
Game 2 of that series, which aired on Thursday night opposite the Vice Presidential Debate, drew a 2.6 rating and 4 million viewers, even in ratings and up 8% in viewers from the comparable Cubs/Diamondbacks Game 2 last year. The 2.6 rating and 4 million viewers were easily the lowest marks of the series, as Game 3 on Saturday night perked back up to a 3.2 with 5.2 million — up 14% and 16% from the Phillies/Rockies game in the same timeslot last year.
The Rays and Phillies were not particularly popular, as their battles against the White Sox and Brewers, respectively, failed to draw a 3.0 rating for any game.
Game 1 between the Rays and White Sox drew 2.6 million viewers Thursday afternoon, down 21% from the comparable Rockies/Phillies game last year. Game 2 on Friday jumped to 3.9 million, down 49% from the Yankees/Indians game in a similiar timeslot last year. National ratings for Sunday’s Game 3 were unavailable, but the game drew a 9.6 rating in Chicago, compared to a 21.9 for the Bears’ game against the Lions earlier in the day.
Meanwhile, the first three games of the Phillies/Brewers series drew 2.8, 4.2 and 4.5 million viewers, down 13%, 37% and 4%, from the comparable games in ’07. Game 4, which aired at 1 PM on Sunday, drew a 12.7 rating in Milwaukee, compared to a 28.7 for the Packers’ game against the Falcons airing at the same time. In Philadelphia, the game drew a 13.2, while the Eagles’ game against Washington, also going on at the same time, drew a 22.7.
Division Series ratings and viewership.
Dodgers 3, Cubs 0
Game 1: 3.5 (4.1 cable rating), 5.4 million viewers (Wed., 10/1, 6:30 PM TBS)
Game 2: 2.6 (3.0 cable rating), 4.0 million viewers (Thu., 10/2, 9:30 PM TBS)
Game 3: 3.2 (3.8 cable rating), 5.2 million viewers (Sat., 10/4, 10 PM TBS)
Red Sox 3, Angels 1
Game 1: N/A (N/A cable rating), 4.4 million viewers (Wed., 10/1, 10 PM TBS)
Game 2: 3.3 (3.8 cable rating), 5.3 million viewers (Fri., 10/3, 9:30 PM TBS)
Game 3: 3.9 (4.5 cable rating), 6.2 million viewers (Sun., 10/5, 7:30 PM TBS)
Game 4: not available (Mon., 10/6, 8:30 PM TBS)
Rays 3, White Sox 1
Game 1: N/A (N/A cable rating), 2.6 million viewers (Thu., 10/2, 2:30 PM TBS)
Game 2: 2.6 (3.0 cable rating), 3.9 million viewers (Fri., 10/3, 6 PM TBS)
Game 3: not available (Sun., 10/5, 4 PM TBS)
Game 4: not available (Mon., 10/6, 5 PM TBS)
Phillies 3, Brewers 1
Game 1: N/A (N/A cable rating), 2.8 million viewers (Wed., 10/1, 3 PM TBS)
Game 2: 2.7 (3.2 cable rating), 4.2 million viewers (Thu., 10/2, 6 PM TBS)
Game 3: 2.9 (3.3 cable rating), 4.6 million viewers (Sat., 10/4, 6 PM TBS)
Game 4: not available (Sun., 10/5, 1 PM TBS)
Ratings information courtesy TVbytheNumbers‘ Robert Seidman.
