The season’s final primetime MLB telecast on FOX marked yet another decline from last year.
Regional MLB action on FOX drew a 1.4 final rating and nearly 2.1 million viewers last Saturday, down 26% in ratings and 30% in viewership from last year (1.9, 3.0M). Compared to the eighth telecast of last season — primetime coverage on June 1 — ratings and viewership declined 36% and 37%, respectively.
Saturday’s telecast was the third-least viewed of the season on FOX, ahead of only coverage on May 24 and May 31 (1.8M both weeks).
Last week wrapped up a poor run for primetime baseball on FOX. All eight Baseball Night in America telecasts had a decline in viewership, and seven of the eight dropped by double-digits. Only one telecast — coverage featuring Red Sox/Yankees on June 30 — managed to top last year’s least-viewed primetime window.
The weak numbers on FOX are not exactly part of an overall trend. ESPN’s Major League Baseball ratings have increased, with Sunday Night Baseball up 8% over last year.
One possible reason for the consistent declines on FOX is that the network aired fewer games per window this year — last year’s regional coverage featured five games per week compared to two or three this year. The difference between ten home markets and six may have been a factor.
(Sat. numbers from Sports Business Daily)
