The deciding game of the NLCS put up strong numbers on TBS Wednesday night.
Dodgers/Phillies Game 5 drew a 5.0/9 U.S. rating and 8 million viewers on TBS, down 2% in ratings and flat in viewership from last year’s Game 5 between the same two teams on FOX (5.1/8, 8 mil).
Compared to Game 5 of last year’s ALCS on TBS, Dodgers/Phillies was up 6% in ratings and 11% in viewership from a 4.7 and 7.2 million for Rays/Red Sox.
Wednesday’s game finishes as the highest rated, most-viewed of the postseason on TBS. Additionally, the Phillies’ win ranks as the seventh-highest rated and sixth-most viewed MLB postseason telecast ever on cable.
Overall, the Phillies/Dodgers NLCS averaged a 3.7 U.S. rating and 6 million viewers on TBS, down 23% and 19%, respectively, from a 4.8 and 7.4 million for last year’s NLCS on FOX. Comapred to last year’s 7-game ALCS on TBS, the series was down 20% in ratings and viewership from a 4.6 and 7.4 million.
Phillies/Dodgers ranks as the second-least viewed League Championship Series since ’76, ahead of only the 2007 Rockies/Diamondbacks NLCS (4.3 million on TBS).
To put the numbers in perspective, TBS sister network TNT averaged a 5.4 rating and 8.6 million viewers for the Magic/Cavaliers NBA Eastern Conference Finals in May, and a 3.3 and 5.3 million for 6 NASCAR races in June and July.
Most viewed MLB postseason games ever on cable
| Date | Game | Net | Viewers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun., 10/19/08 | ALCS, Red Sox/Rays Game 7 | TBS |
13.4 mil
|
| Mon., 10/8/07 | ALDS, Indians/Yankees Game 4 | TBS |
9.2 mil
|
| Sat., 10/18/08 | ALCS, Red Sox/Rays Game 6 | TBS |
8.9 mil
|
| Sun., 10/7/07 | ALDS, Indians/Yankees Game 3 | TBS |
8.5 mil
|
| Fri., 10/3/03 | NLDS, Braves/Cubs Game 3 | ESPN |
8.1 mil
|
| Wed., 10/21/09 | NLCS, Dodgers/Phillies Game 5 | TBS |
8.0 mil
|
Least viewed LCS since 1976
| Year | Series | Net | Viewers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | NLCS, Rockies 4, D’Backs 0 | TBS |
4.3 mil
|
| 2009 | NLCS, Phillies 4, Dodgers 1 | TBS |
6.0 mil
|
| 2008 | NLCS, Phillies 4, Dodgers 1 | FOX |
7.4 mil
|
| 2008 | ALCS, Rays 4, Red Sox 3 | TBS |
7.4 mil
|
| 2006 | ALCS, Tigers 4, Athletics 0 | FOX |
7.8 mil
|
Source: Turner Sports
