Like the Cubs, NLCS ratings could not compare to last year, but the series still delivered strong numbers for TBS.
Thursday’s Dodgers-Cubs NLCS Game 5 had a 3.2 rating and 5.2 million viewers on TBS, down 24% in ratings and 27% in viewership from the same matchup last year, which aired on FS1 (4.2, 7.2M). There was no Game 5 of the 2015 NLCS.
Compared to last year’s LCS Game 5 on TBS, Indians-Blue Jays in the American League, ratings increased 68% from a 1.9 and viewership 83% from 3.0 million. That game aired on a weekday afternoon.
The Dodgers’ blowout win was the least-watched NLCS game since Cardinals-Giants Game 5 three years ago (4.9M). It was the Cubs’ least-watched LCS game on record (22 telecasts dating back to 2003).
The complete five-game NLCS averaged 6.2 million viewers on TBS, down 11% from last year’s six-game series on FS1 (7.0M) and down 22% from the four-game Mets-Cubs series in 2015 (7.9M). Compared to last year’s five-game ALCS on TBS, which included the Blue Jays and had three afternoon games, viewership increased 88% from 3.3 million.
Dodgers-Cubs ranks as the fifth-most watched LCS on cable television (12 total), trailing the past two Cubs series, Yankees-Rangers in 2010 (8.2M) and Red Sox-Rays in 2008 (7.4M).
The NLCS averaged a 13.1 rating in Los Angeles, up 32% from last year. Turner did not disclose local averages for Chicago.
[Numbers from Turner Sports PR, Programming Insider 10.20]
