Despite a record performance by Giancarlo Stanton, overnight ratings sank for the MLB Home Run Derby. In other news, FOX posted declines for its final primetime MLB telecast of the season, and both ESPN and TBS scored fewer viewers for their Sunday MLB games.
Derby Overnights Down
- The 2016 Home Run Derby earned a 4.0 overnight rating on ESPN Monday night, down 18% from last year (4.9) and up a tick from rain-delayed coverage in 2014 (3.9). The 4.0 is the second-lowest for the event since at least 2008, ahead of only 2014, with no other year over that span dipping below 4.7. (ESPN)
MLB on FOX Down For Second Straight Week
- Regional Major League Baseball action featuring Cubs/Pirates in 50% of markets scored 2.1 million viewers on FOX Saturday night, down 28% from last year (2.9M) but up 1% from the network’s eighth telecast in 2014 (2.10M to 2.08M). Ratings were not immediately available. It was the second straight telecast on FOX to post a year-over-year decline, after four of the previous five increased. Head-to-head, MLB on FOX trailed both the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials on NBC (3.4M) and NASCAR Sprint Cup racing on NBCSN (3.2M). (via ShowBuzz Daily)
MLB Viewership Down on ESPN, TBS, Sunday
- Diamondbacks/Giants scored 1.6 million viewers on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball, down 28% from Cardinals/Pirates last year (2.2M) and down 1% from Rays/Tigers in 2014 (1.60M to 1.59M). Earlier in the day, TBS drew 302,000 for its season debut between the Nationals and Mets, down 45% from its opener last year between the Red Sox and Yankees (547K). (via Sports TV Ratings)
