Fewer viewers checked out the 2020 debut of the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry.
The latest edition of MLB on FOX (mostly Red Sox-Yankees) averaged a 1.25 rating and 2.07 million viewers Saturday night, marking the network’s smallest Red Sox-Yankees audience since September 2016 (1.68M). Ratings fell 22% and viewership 19% from the first Red Sox-Yankees window on FOX last season (6/1/19: 1.6, 2.55M).
Despite the lower numbers, the telecast ranks as the fourth-most watched of the young MLB season. The Yankees have played in three of the top four.
On Sunday night, the rivalry averaged a 1.2 and 1.91 million on ESPN — flat in ratings and down 3% in viewership from the teams’ first Sunday Night Baseball matchup last year (6/2/19: 1.2, 1.97M). Versus the same August weekend last year, which featured the same two teams, ratings fell 14% (from 1.4) and viewership 13% (from 2.21M).
Keep in mind baseball had the sports world largely to itself last August, whereas it had to compete with NBA and NHL games this time around — including a Bucks-Rockets game on ABC that averaged a 1.5 and 2.44 million.
In other action, FOX averaged a 1.2 and 1.88 million for coverage featuring Red Sox-Mets last Thursday — flat in ratings and up 7% in viewership from the network’s first Thursday window last season, which aired in September versus the NFL (mostly Braves-Phillies: 1.2, 1.75M). This year’s telecast aired opposite the NBA season restart on TNT.
A 2017 World Series rematch between the Dodgers and Astros averaged a 0.46 and 752,000 on ESPN last Wednesday and a 0.37 and 612,000 on FS1 last Tuesday. The Wednesday game was off 12% and 2% respectively from ESPN’s Wednesday Night Baseball debut last season (4/3/19 Cubs-Braves: 0.52, 768K).
Two nights earlier, the season debut of ESPN’s Monday Night Baseball (Mets-Red Sox) averaged a 0.51 and 749,000 — flat and down 1% respectively from last year’s Monday night opener (4/1/19 Cubs-Braves: 0.50, 759K).
Rounding out the recent slate, ESPN drew a 0.32 and 466,000 for Mariners-Angels last Wednesday night, a 0.17 and 243,000 for Rockies-A’s that afternoon, and a 0.24 and 326,000 for Diamondbacks-Padres July 27. TBS chipped in a 0.23 and 324,000 for Mets-Braves this past Sunday. ESPN2 brought up the rear with just 142,000 for Rangers-Giants last Friday.
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 8.4]
