Despite the absence of the New York Yankees, the 2013 MLB Division Series has held up well on TBS.
Coverage of the MLB Division Series on TBS averaged a 2.3 U.S. rating and 3.5 million viewers through Monday’s action, flat in ratings and up 2% in viewership from the comparable point last year (2.3, 3.5M). According to Turner Sports, this marks the highest average for the Division Series since 2010.
Monday’s Red Sox/Rays Game 3 earned 4.5 million viewers on TBS, down 22% from Orioles/Yankees Game 3 on a Wednesday night last year (5.8M), and down 36% from Yankees/Tigers Game 4 on a Tuesday night in 2011 (7.0M). Keep in mind the comparable games last year and in 2011 aired in later timeslots.
Versus last year’s comparable Monday night telecast — Yankees/Orioles Game 2, also in a later timeslot — viewership increased by 15% (3.9M to 4.5M).
Despite the declines, Red Sox/Rays Game 3 ranks as the most-viewed game of the Division Series thus far, and the third-most viewed of the playoffs (both Wild Card games earned larger audiences).
In other action Monday, Game 4 of the Braves/Dodgers series drew 3.9 million viewers — up 47% from Tigers/A’s Game 4 on TNT last year (2.7M) and up 85% from Brewers/Diamondbacks Game 3 on TNT in 2011 (2.1M). Keep in mind the comparable games last year and in 2011 aired directly opposite Yankee games on TBS.
Game 4 between the Cardinals and Pirates earned 2.6 million viewers during the afternoon, up 5% from Giants/Reds Game 4 last year (2.5M), and down 44% from Phillies/Cardinals Game 3 in 2011 (4.6M). Both games aired in later timeslots.
Over the weekend, Sunday’s Braves/Dodgers Game 3 had 3.4 million viewers (-20%), Cardinals/Pirates Game 3 had 2.9 million earlier in the day (-19%), Tigers/A’s Game 2 had 3.3 million on Saturday night (-21%), and the early evening Rays/Red Sox Game 2 had 3.0 million (+13%).
Viewership was not immediately available for the two Division Series games on MLB Network.
Viewership For First Six Days of MLB Postseason on TBS
With comparisons to last year
| Date | Time (ET) | Game | Net | P2+ | vs. ’11 | ’11 Game/Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue., 10/1/13 | 8:00 PM | Reds/Pirates Wild Card | TBS | 4.6M | +15% | STL/ATL (Fri., 5:00) |
| Wed., 10/2/13 | 8:00 PM | Rays/Indians Wild Card | TBS |
4.7M
|
-11%
|
BAL/TEX (Fri., 8:30) |
| Thu., 10/3/13 | 5:00 PM | Pirates/Cards Gm. 1 | TBS |
2.6M
|
-16%
|
OAK/DET (Sat., 6:00) |
| 8:30 PM | Dodgers/Braves Gm. 1 | TBS |
3.5M
|
+13%
|
CIN/SFG (Sat., 9:30) | |
| Fri., 10/4/13 | 3:00 PM | Rays/Red Sox Gm. 1 | TBS |
2.4M
|
-4%
|
WSH/STL (Sun., 3:00) |
| 6:00 PM | Dodgers/Braves Gm. 2 | TBS | 4.1M |
+6%
|
NYY/BAL (Sun., 8:30) | |
| 9:30 PM | Tigers/A’s Gm. 1 | TBS |
3.6M
|
+144%
|
CIN/SFG (Sun., 9:30) | |
| Sat., 10/5/13 | 5:30 PM | Rays/Red Sox Gm. 2 | TBS |
3.0M
|
+13%
|
WSH/STL (Mon., 4:30) |
| 9:00 PM | Tigers/A’s Gm. 2 | TBS |
3.3M
|
-22%
|
NYY/BAL (Mon., 8:00) | |
| Sun., 10/6/13 | 4:30 PM | Cards/Pirates Gm. 3 | TBS |
2.9M
|
-19%
|
SFG/CIN (Tue., 5:30) |
| 9:00 PM | Braves/Dodgers Gm. 3 | TBS | 3.4M |
-20%
|
DET/OAK (Tue., 9:00) | |
| Mon., 10/7/13 | 3:00 PM | Cards/Pirates Gm. 4 | TBS |
2.6M
|
+5%
|
SFG/CIN (Wed., 4:00) |
| 6:00 PM | Red Sox/Rays Gm. 3 | TBS | 4.5M |
-22%
|
BAL/NYY (Wed., 7:30) | |
| 9:30 PM | Braves/Dodgers Gm. 4 | TBS | 3.9M |
+47%
|
DET/OAK (Wed., 9:30) |
(Numbers from The Futon Critic, TV By the Numbers [1], [2], [3], Turner Sports)
