A strong postseason for TBS ended with a rare decline.
Game 4 of the Orioles/Royals American League Championship Series drew just under 4.0 million viewers on TBS Wednesday afternoon, down 31% from Cardinals/Dodgers Game 4 in primetime last year (5.8M) and down 24% from Yankees/Tigers Game 4 in 2012 (5.3M). Last year’s Red Sox/Tigers ALCS Game 4 drew 8.1 million.
The Royals’ win was the least-viewed game of the ALCS, with the caveat that it was the only one to air on a weekday afternoon. The game was also just the second of the postseason to have a decline on TBS.
With that said, the game earned decent numbers considering the timeslot. Last year’s comparable weekday game on TBS — Game 5 between the Cardinals and Dodgers — drew 3.7 million. While previous weekday games drew better numbers, ranging from 4.4 million for Phillies/Dodgers in 2009 to 6.1 million for Rangers/Yankees in 2010, those series also featured big market teams.
Overall, the two afternoon ALCS games on TBS averaged a 2.6 rating and 4.1 million viewers, up 8% and 15%, respectively, from last year’s comparable Cardinals/Dodgers games.
(Wed. numbers from TV By the Numbers)
