The MLB Home Run Derby hit an eight-year high in the overnights. In other news, MLB on FOX entered its hiatus on a higher note, and Sunday MLB viewership was mixed on ESPN and TBS.
Home Run Derby Overnights Hit High
- Monday’s Major League Baseball Home Run Derby earned a 5.5 overnight rating on ESPN, up 38% from last year (4.0), up 41% from 2015 (3.9), and the highest overnight for the event since 2009 (5.6). The previous high over that span was a 5.0 in 2013. Yankees OF Aaron Judge‘s win peaked with a 6.2 from 9:15-9:30 PM ET. [ESPN PR 7.11]
MLB on FOX Enters Hiatus With Increase
- Regional MLB action featuring Pirates-Cubs in 58% of markets earned a 1.6 final rating and 2.5 million viewers on FOX Saturday night, up 14% in ratings and 21% in viewership from last year (1.4, 2.1M) but down 16% and 14% respectively from 2015 (1.9, 2.9M). Later in the night, Fox Sports 1 pulled a 0.2 and 334,000 for Reds-Diamondbacks; there was no game in the comparable window last year. [ShowBuzz Daily 7.11]
Sunday MLB Down on ESPN, Up on TBS
- Tigers-Indians earned a 0.9 final rating and 1.4 million viewers on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball over the weekend, down 10% in ratings and 11% in viewership from Diamondbacks-Giants last year (1.0, 1.6M) and down 40% and 36% respectively from Cardinals-Pirates in 2015 (1.5, 2.2M). Earlier in the day, Pirates-Cubs scored a 0.28 rating and 409,000 on TBS — up a third in ratings and 35% in viewership from Nationals-Mets last year (0.21, 302K). [ShowBuzz Daily 7.11]
