Some of the more prominent big market teams in baseball had their ratings decline during the first half of the season.
Red Sox telecasts are averaging a 6.25 rating on NESN through the All-Star break, reports Sports Business Journal, down 36% from last year. The Red Sox rank fifth among Major League teams, behind the Reds (6.52, up 49%), Phillies (7.20, up 17%), Twins (7.85, up 26%) and Cardinals (9.70, up 42%).
The Red Sox have averaged the highest local rating in Major League Baseball every season since 2003.
Meanwhile, Cubs telecasts are averaging a 2.71 on Comcast SportsNet Chicago, down 39% from last year. The 2.71 rating for the Cubs is not much higher than the local ratings for the Blackhawks (2.45) and Bulls (2.35), though the team still has a big lead on the White Sox (1.85, down 19%).
Ratings for the Yankees (4.38, down 5%) and Dodgers (1.63, down 17%) have also dropped.
By contrast, several mid and small market teams have had double-digit increases this season, including the aforementioned Cardinals, Twins and Reds, as well as the Rays (5.52, up 71%), Rockies (4.88, up 56%), Padres (4.79, up 15%), Orioles (3.06, up 11%).
The Nationals lead all teams with a 139% increase from last year, although the team’s 1.34 rating is still third-lowest in baseball. Including the Nationals, the teams with the three lowest average ratings in baseball have had double-digit increases from last year — with the Athletics (up 46%) and Angels (up 12%) tied at an MLB-low 1.23 rating.
Overall, 16 of the 29 U.S. based teams have had ratings increase this season.
