The MLB Division Series has been a tale of two leagues in the ratings.
Monday’s Yankees-Twins American League Division Series Game 3 averaged 2.66 million viewers on FS1, down 40% from Red Sox-Yankees on TBS last year (4.41M) and down 41% from Indians-Yankees Game 4 on FS1 in 2017 (4.49M), which aired in similar windows. Ratings were not immediately available.
The Yankees’ series-clinching win continued a run of declines for the ALDS, with the first six games each down from the comparable window last year.
Saturday’s Game 2 averaged a 1.4 rating (-13%) and 2.32 million viewers (-7%), marking the least-watched Yankee playoff game since at least 2002. As previously reported, Friday’s Game 1 also declined — with the caveat that it aired on MLB Network and last year’s game aired on TBS.
As for the other AL series, Monday’s Astros-Rays Game 3 had just 958,000 viewers on MLB Network (-50%) — marking the smallest MLB Postseason audience since A’s-Tigers Game 3 on the same network in 2013 (912K).
Game 2 drew a 1.5 (-50%) and 2.53 million (-50%) on Saturday and Game 1 a 0.9 and 1.39 million (-27%) on Friday. Those games aired on FS1.
The National League has fared far better relative to last year. Monday’s Dodgers-Nationals Game 4 averaged 3.61 million viewers on TBS, marking the largest audience of the Division Series thus far, and the largest NLDS audience since Cubs-Nationals Game 5 in 2017 (7.02M).
Game 3 of the series had a 1.9 rating (+6%) and 3.34 million viewers (+10%) Sunday night and Game 2 on Friday a 1.8 (+50%) and 3.04 million (+50%).
Meanwhile, Monday’s Braves-Cardinals Game 4 averaged 2.49 million viewers (+15%); Sunday’s Game 3 a 1.6 rating (+39%) and 2.65 million (+32%); and Friday’s Game 2 a 1.5 (+36%) and 2.34 million (+33%).
As previously reported, last Thursday’s NLDS openers were also up from last year.
