Despite sweeps and small markets, the 2014 MLB Postseason was a success for TBS.
The four-game Royals/Orioles American League Championship Series averaged a 3.2 rating and 5.1 million viewers on TBS, flat in ratings and up 2% in viewership from last year’s six-game Cardinals/Dodgers NLCS (3.2, 5.0M), and down 16% and 14%, respectively, from the four-game Tigers/Yankees ALCS in 2012 (3.8, 5.9M). Last year’s Red Sox/Tigers ALCS on FOX averaged a 4.9 and 7.7 million.
The Royals’ sweep ranks as the lowest rated and least-viewed ALCS ever, with some caveats. The series featured the two smallest markets in the American League, half of the games aired during the afternoon, and it was the first ALCS on cable that did not involve the Yankees or the Red Sox. Despite those limitations, it outdrew three of the last four NLCS, including this year’s series.
Overall, the MLB Postseason averaged a 2.7 and 4.3 million viewers on TBS — flat in ratings but up 3% in viewership from last year (2.7, 4.2M), flat and up 5%, respectively, from 2012 (2.7, 4.1M), and Turner Sports’ most-watched postseason since 2010. Nine of the 11 games on TBS had increases in viewership over the comparable windows last year, with eight of those nine up double-digits.
Three of this year’s four most-watched postseason games aired on TBS, including the top two — Games 1 and 3 of the ALCS.
Keep in mind TBS had a much lighter playoff slate than in previous years. With the new MLB TV deal giving half of the Division Series to Fox Sports 1 and all three American League series ending in sweeps, TBS aired just 11 of a possible 18 playoff games — compared to 24 of 27 last year.
(Averages from Turner Sports)
