The numbers were unchanged from the previous week, but the results were better for MLB on FOX. In other news, the Cubs gave ESPN a boost in an otherwise down week, and the Royals keep setting local ratings records.
MLB on FOX Scores Increase
- Regional Major League Baseball action on FOX delivered a 1.4 final rating and 2.3 million viewers last Saturday night, up 27% in ratings and 28% in viewership from last year (1.1, 1.8M) and up 17% and 22%, respectively, from the network’s second telecast in 2014 (1.2, 1.8M). Keep in mind last year’s telecast, which was hampered by rain delays, was the lowest rated primetime MLB window ever on broadcast television.
Cubs Give ESPN Boost in Down Week
- Dodgers/Mets scored 1.7 million viewers on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball last weekend, down 16% from Tigers/Angels last year (2.0M) but up 14% from Cardinals/Reds in 2014 (1.5M). On Memorial Day, White Sox/Mets (809K, -11%) and Twins/Athletics (878K, -14%) also declined double-digits. Bucking the trend, Dodgers/Cubs scored 1.0 million on Tuesday and 885,000 on Wednesday — up 20% and 280%, respectively, from last year’s comparable games, Brewers/Cardinals on a Monday night (859K) and a rain-delayed Dodgers/Rockies game (233K).
Royals Set New Local Records
- Wednesday’s Royals/Rays game scored a 17.8 rating on Fox Sports Kansas City, the network’s highest ever for a Royals telecast. The previous high was a 17.6, set the previous day by the same matchup. Last season, when the Royals averaged the highest local rating for any MLB team since 2002 (12.3), the top rated game had a 17.3.
(Numbers via Programming Insider, ShowBuzz Daily [1], [2], [3], [4], foxsports.com))
