Though not as strong during the afternoon as it was in primetime one night earlier, the Yankees/Rangers series continues to perform well for TBS.
The Rangers’ series-tying Game 2 win over the Yankees drew a 3.6 U.S. rating and 5.831 million viewers on TBS Saturday afternoon, up 24% in ratings and 32% in viewership from Game 2 of last year’s NLCS on TBS (PHI/LAD: 2.9, 4.429 mil), but down 5% and 4%, respectively, from to Game 2 of the 2008 ALCS on TBS (BOS/TB: 3.8, 6.089 mil).
Last year’s Phillies/Dodgers Game 2 aired on a Friday afternoon, while the 2008 Red Sox/Rays Game 2 aired on a Saturday night.
Saturday’s game finished well behind last year’s Angels/Yankees Game 2 (5.8, 9.379 mil), but that game aired in primetime on broadcast network FOX.
The game also trailed Friday’s Yankees/Rangers Game 1, which drew a 5.0 U.S. rating and 8.111 million viewers — the sixth-largest audience ever for an MLB postseason game on cable television. Of course, that game aired in primetime.
Game 2 drew an 11.1 rating in the New York market, down 40% from last year’s Angels/Yankees Game 2 on FOX (18.6), and down 20% from Friday’s Game 1 (13.9). The game drew a 15.6 rating in Dallas-Ft. Worth, down 29% from Game 1 (21.9).
Through two games, TBS is averaging a 4.3 U.S. rating and 6.969 million viewers for the Yankees/Rangers ALCS, up 16% in ratings and 21% in viewership from last year’s Phillies/Dodgers NLCS (3.7, 5.776 mil).
(Turner Sports)
