ESPN scored modest increases for a pair of MLB rivalry games. In other news, Fox Sports 1 earned its smallest MLB audience of the season, and the FOX broadcast network had an uptick for NASCAR Xfinity Series racing.
ESPN Sees Gains For Yankees/Red Sox, Cubs/Cardinals
- The Yankees/Red Sox Sunday Night Baseball game earned 2.3 million viewers on ESPN, up 4% from Angels/Yankees last year (2.2M) and up 7% from Braves/Tigers in 2013 (2.1M). Four of the season’s first five Sunday night games have increased, with the caveat that three were rivalry games involving the Yankees. The following night, Cubs/Cardinals had 867,000 on Monday Night Baseball — up 7% from Athletics/Rangers last year (809K) but down 7% from Nationals/Braves in 2013 (939K). The game was a full national telecast, as were the comparable telecasts last year and in 2013. (via ShowBuzz Daily [1], [2])
Season-Low For MLB on Fox Sports 1
- Fox Sports 1 earned just 185,000 viewers for Saturday’s Angels/Giants Major League Baseball game, down 59% from Pirates/Cardinals last year (446K) and easily the network’s least-watched MLB telecast of the season (eight telecasts). The Reds/Braves nightcap drew 592,000 viewers; there was no comparable window last year. (via Sports TV Ratings)
Slight Uptick For NASCAR Xfinity Series on FOX
- NASCAR Xfinity Series racing from Talladega drew a 1.6 overnight rating on FOX Saturday afternoon, up a tick from last year on ESPN (1.5). The 1.6 is also up a tick from the season’s previous Xfinity Series race on FOX, Phoenix in March (1.5). (via Sports Business Daily)
