For the second time this season, FOX earned a mere 1.1 rating for Major League Baseball coverage — and this time, there was no weather-related excuse.
Regional MLB action featuring Twins/Tigers in 49% of TV markets drew a 1.1 final rating and 1.632 million viewers on FOX September 10, down 21% in ratings and 16% in viewership from the 24th telecast last year (ATL/NYM*: 1.4, 1.939M), and down 21% and 22%, respectively, from the 24th telecast in 2009 (CHC/STL*: 1.4, 2.101M).
The 1.1 rating is tied as the lowest for Major League Baseball on FOX since the current television contract began in 2007. On only two other occasions has FOX earned a rating that low — on August 27, when coverage was affected by Hurricane Irene, and in August 2008, when coverage aired directly opposite the Beijing Olympics.
It was not immediately clear whether the 1.1 rating is the lowest ever for MLB on broadcast television.
One week earlier, regional action featuring Rangers/Red Sox in 71% of markets drew a 1.4 and 2.095 million viewers, down 13% in ratings and 14% in viewership from last year (STL/ATL*: 1.6, 2.422M).
Since June, eleven of fifteen MLB telecasts on FOX have had declines in ratings, and ten have had declines in viewership.
(Nielsen)
