Though above average compared to other regular season telecasts, Saturday’s MLB action on FOX was far from a primetime hit.
Regional MLB action featuring Yankees/Dodgers drew a 2.2 final rating and 3.433 million viewers on FOX Saturday night, up 10% in ratings and 12% in viewership from afternoon coverage featuring Red Sox/Braves last year (2.0, 3.064 mil).
Compared to the first primetime telecast of the season (May 22), Saturday’s coverage was down 19% and 20%, respectively, from a 2.7 and 4.309 million viewers.
FOX was the lowest rated and least-viewed of the Big 4 broadcast networks in primetime Saturday night (8-11 PM), and finished third in the key adults 18-49 demographic.
The MLB telecast drew a lower rating than five of the eight television programs on ABC, CBS and NBC Saturday night — and even drew fewer viewers than an hour-long rerun of America’s Funniest Home Videos on ABC (3.52 mil).
The telecast fared better among adults 18-49, averaging a 0.9 rating — tied as the fourth-highest rating of the night in the demo, behind only reruns of 48 Hours Mystery on CBS (1.3) and America’s Got Talent (1.1) and Law & Order: SVU (1.1) on NBC.
Despite the low-for-primetime numbers, Saturday’s coverage ranks as the fourth-highest rated, fourth-most viewed MLB telecast of the season on FOX — and only the fourth to draw at least a 2.0 rating.
