Despite facing the Stanley Cup Final, FOX scored its second-best MLB overnight in two years.
Regional Major League Baseball action on FOX earned a 1.8* overnight rating Saturday night, up 13% from the network’s third primetime telecast last year (1.6) but down 18% from the third such telecast in 2013 (2.2). The 1.8 is the second-highest for any MLB regular season window on FOX since the 2013 season.
It should be noted that the telecast was the first of the season on FOX to feature the New York Yankees.
The improved overnight came one week after FOX earned a mere 1.3 overnight for coverage that was affected by rain, the second-lowest for primetime MLB on broadcast television.
Saturday’s telecast faced formidable competition from the Stanley Cup Final (4.8). Saturday marked the third straight week that the Stanley Cup Playoffs on NBC topped MLB on FOX head-to-head, though that result is far less surprising than it would have been four or five years ago.
* While Sports Business Daily reported a 1.8 overnight for Saturday’s telecast, ShowBuzz Daily reported that it had a 1.7.
(Wknd. overnights from Sports Business Daily)
