The 2014 Major League Baseball season got off to a slower start on ESPN and ESPN2.
ESPN and ESPN2 had declines in viewership for each Opening Day baseball game that could be compared to last year. Cubs/Pirates earned a 0.5 U.S. rating and 684,000 viewers on ESPN, down 38% in ratings and viewership from Red Sox/Yankees last year (0.8, 1.1M), but flat and up 15%, respectively, from Red Sox/Tigers on ESPN2 in 2012 (0.5, 595K).
Later in the day, Cardinals/Reds drew a 0.6 and 825,000 — down 15% in ratings and 14% in viewership from Giants/Dodgers last year (0.7, 963K), but up 50% and 44%, respectively, from Marlins/Reds on ESPN2 in 2012 (0.4, 573K). The ESPN telecast was blacked out in St. Louis.
Contributing to the lower numbers was competition from Red Sox/Orioles on ESPN2, which earned a 0.4 U.S. rating and 465,000 viewers (blacked out in Boston). There was no comparable afternoon game on ESPN2 last season.
Shifting to primetime, ESPN2 earned a 0.5 and 703,000 viewers for Rockies/Marlins — down 29% in ratings and 30% in viewership from Phillies/Braves last year (0.7, 1.0M), but flat and up 3%, respectively, from Giants/Diamondbacks in 2012 (0.5, 682K). The Mariners/Angels nightcap scored a 0.5 and 677,000, flat in ratings and down 4% in viewership from Cardinals/Diamondbacks last year (0.5, 704K), and flat and down 3%, respectively, from Royals/Angels in 2012 (0.5, 701K).
Keep in mind that the 2012 games aired on a Thursday (afternoon) and Friday (primetime).
Finally, Sunday’s Dodgers/Padres Opening Night game earned a 1.4 U.S. rating and 2.3 million viewers, flat in both measures compared to Rangers/Astros last year, down 13% and 6%, respectively, from Cardinals/Marlins on a Wednesday night in 2012 (1.6, 2.4M). The 1.4 is tied as the lowest for an Opening Night game since 2002.
(Ratings/viewership from ESPN)
