An updated look at ratings and viewership for Major League Baseball Division Series games from 2003 to 2010.
The 2011 MLB Division Series, which begins Friday, will be the fifth to be televised exclusively by Turner Sports. Last year’s Division Series averaged a 2.8 U.S. rating and 4.434 million viewers on TBS, down 10% and 7%, respectively, from the previous year.
Since moving to Turner Sports, the Division Series has not been able to reach the heights of the FOX/ESPN years. From 2003 to 2006, Division Series games earned at least seven million viewers on 19 separate occasions (16 on FOX, 3 on ESPN). From 2007-2010, however, games hit or surpassed that mark only three times — Games 2, 3 and 4 of the 2007 Indians/Yankees ALDS.
One major culprit is the lack of competitive series. TBS has aired only one Game 5 since acquiring postseason rights (2010, TEX/TB: 6.410M), compared to four such games on FOX during its final four seasons televising the Division Series.
Of those four deciding games on FOX, one featured the Yankees (2005, LAA/NYY: 13.699M), another the Red Sox (2003, BOS/OAK: 13.027M), and a third the Cubs (2003, CHC/ATL: 15.416M).
The lack of deciding games corresponds to an increase in three-game sweeps. There were nine sweeps from 2007-10, compared to just five from 2003-06.
On the other end of the spectrum, nine Division Series games since 2007 have drawn fewer than three million viewers, compared to thirteen such games between 2003 and 2006.
| 2003 MLB DIVISON SERIES | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Time | Game |
#
|
Series
|
Net | U.S. Rating | Viewers (000) |
| Tue., 9/30/03 | 1 PM | MIN 3, NYY 1 |
1
|
MIN 1-0
|
ESPN |
2.1
|
2,647
|
| 4 PM | FLA 0, SF 2 |
1
|
SF 1-0
|
ESPN |
2.7
|
3,423
|
|
| 8 PM | CHC 4, ATL 2 |
1
|
CHC 1-0
|
FOX |
7.5
|
10,864
|
|
| Wed., 10/1/03 | 4 PM | FLA 9, SF 5 |
2
|
TIE 1-1
|
ESPN |
2.4
|
3,072
|
| 7 PM | CHC 3, ATL 5 |
2
|
TIE 1-1
|
ESPN |
5.1
|
7,432
|
|
| 10 PM | BOS 4, OAK 5 |
1
|
OAK 1-0
|
ESPN |
3.3
|
4,344
|
|
| Thu., 10/2/03 | 4 PM | BOS 1, OAK 5 |
2
|
OAK 2-0
|
ESPN2 |
1.9
|
2,733
|
| 8 PM | MIN 1, NYY 4 |
2
|
TIE 1-1
|
FOX |
6.1
|
8,719
|
|
| Fri., 10/3/03 | 4 PM | SF 3, FLA 4 |
3
|
FLA 2-1
|
ESPN2 |
2.4
|
3,381
|
| 8 PM | ATL 1, CHC 3 |
3
|
CHC 2-1
|
ESPN |
5.4
|
8,126
|
|
| Sat., 10/4/03 | 1 PM | NYY 3, MIN 1 |
3
|
NYY 2-1
|
ESPN |
2.3
|
3,128
|
| 1 PM | SF 6, FLA 7 |
4
|
FLA 3-1
|
ESPN2 |
2.1
|
2,916
|
|
| 4 PM | ATL 6, CHC 4 |
4
|
TIE 2-2
|
FOX |
6.0
|
8,770
|
|
| 7:30 PM | OAK 1, BOS 3 |
3
|
OAK 2-1
|
ESPN2 |
2.8
|
4,582
|
|
| Sun., 10/5/03 | 1 PM | OAK 4, BOS 5 |
4
|
OAK 2-2
|
ESPN |
2.4
|
3,398
|
| 4 PM | NYY 8, MIN 1 |
4
|
NYY 3-1
|
ESPN |
2.8
|
4,010
|
|
| 7:30 PM | CHC 5, ATL 1 |
5
|
CHC 3-2
|
FOX |
9.8
|
15,416
|
|
| Mon., 10/6/03 | 8 PM | BOS 4, OAK 3 |
5
|
BOS 3-2
|
FOX |
8.5
|
13,027
|
|
2004 MLB DIVISON SERIES
|
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Date
|
Time
|
Game
|
#
|
Series
|
Net
|
U.S. Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
| Tue., 10/5/04 | 1 PM | LA 3, STL 8 |
1
|
STL 1-0
|
ESPN |
1.4
|
1,869
|
| 4 PM | BOS 9, ANA 3 |
1
|
BOS 1-0
|
ESPN |
2.3
|
3,136
|
|
| 8 PM | MIN 2, NYY 0 |
1
|
MIN 1-0
|
FOX |
5.9
|
8,459
|
|
| Wed., 10/6/04 | 4 PM | HOU 9, ATL 3 |
1
|
HOU 1-0
|
ESPN |
2.4
|
3,118
|
| 7 PM | MIN 6, NYY 7 |
2
|
TIE 1-1
|
ESPN |
4.7
|
6,811
|
|
| 10 PM | BOS 8, ANA 3 |
2
|
BOS 2-0
|
ESPN |
2.6
|
3,782
|
|
| Thu., 10/7/04 | 4 PM | HOU 2, ATL 4 |
2
|
TIE 1-1
|
ESPN |
2.7
|
3,562
|
| 8 PM | LA 3, STL 8 |
2
|
STL 2-0
|
FOX |
4.9
|
7,053
|
|
| Fri., 10/8/04 | 4 PM | ANA 6, BOS 8 |
3
|
BOS 3-0
|
ESPN |
3.0
|
4,135
|
| 8 PM | NYY 8, MIN 4 |
3
|
NYY 2-1
|
ESPN |
3.5
|
5,058
|
|
| Sat., 10/9/04 | 1 PM | ATL 5, HOU 8 |
3
|
HOU 2-1
|
ESPN2 |
1.9
|
2,617
|
| 4 PM | NYY 6, MIN 5 |
4
|
NYY 3-1
|
FOX |
5.0
|
7,275
|
|
| 7:30 PM | STL 0, LA 4 |
3
|
STL 2-1
|
FOX |
5.1
|
7,772
|
|
| Sun., 10/10/04 | 1 PM | ATL 6, HOU 5 |
4
|
TIE 2-2
|
ESPN |
2.2
|
3,106
|
| 7:30 PM | STL 6, LA 2 |
4
|
STL 3-1
|
FOX |
5.6
|
8,706
|
|
| Mon., 10/11/04 | 8 PM | HOU 12, ATL 3 |
5
|
HOU 3-2
|
FOX |
5.3
|
7,981
|
|
2005 MLB DIVISON SERIES
|
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Date
|
Time
|
Game
|
#
|
Series
|
Net
|
U.S. Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
| Tue., 10/4/05 | 1 PM | SD 5, STL 8 |
1
|
STL 1-0
|
ESPN |
1.6
|
2,073
|
| 4 PM | BOS 2, CHW 14 |
1
|
CHW 1-0
|
ESPN |
2.8
|
3,813
|
|
| 8 PM | NYY 4, LAA 2 |
1
|
NYY 1-0
|
FOX |
6.0
|
8,985
|
|
| Wed., 10/5/05 | 4 PM | HOU 10, ATL 5 |
1
|
HOU 1-0
|
ESPN |
2.4
|
3,204
|
| 7 PM | BOS 4, CHW 5 |
2
|
CHW 2-0
|
ESPN |
4.4
|
6,364
|
|
| 10 PM | NYY 3, LAA 5 |
2
|
TIE 1-1
|
ESPN |
3.8
|
5,524
|
|
| Thu., 10/6/05 | 4 PM | SD 2, STL 6 |
2
|
STL 2-0
|
ESPN2 |
1.7
|
2,280
|
| 8 PM | HOU 1, ATL 7 |
2
|
TIE 1-1
|
FOX |
5.3
|
7,671
|
|
| Fri., 10/7/05 | 4 PM | CHW 5, BOS 3 |
3
|
CHW 3-0
|
ESPN2 |
3.3
|
4,494
|
| 8 PM | LAA 11, NYY 7 |
3
|
LAA 2-1
|
ESPN |
4.9
|
7,212
|
|
| Sat., 10/8/05 | 7:30 PM | ATL 3, HOU 7 |
3
|
HOU 2-1
|
FOX |
4.3
|
6,410
|
| 11 PM | STL 7, SD 4 |
3
|
STL 3-0
|
ESPN |
1.8
|
2,461
|
|
| Sun., 10/9/05 | 1 PM | ATL 6, HOU 7 |
4
|
HOU 3-1
|
ESPN |
3.2
|
4,866
|
| 7:30 PM | LAA 2, NYY 3 |
4
|
TIE 2-2
|
FOX |
8.1
|
12,564
|
|
| Mon., 10/10/05 | 8 PM | NYY 3, LAA 5 |
5
|
LAA 3-2
|
FOX |
8.9
|
13,699
|
|
2006 MLB DIVISION SERIES
|
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Date
|
Time
|
Game
|
#
|
Series
|
Net
|
U.S. Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
| Tue., 10/3/06 | 1 PM | OAK 3, MIN 2 |
1
|
OAK 1-0
|
ESPN |
1.4
|
1,777
|
| 4 PM | STL 5, SD 1 |
1
|
STL 1-0
|
ESPN |
2.0
|
2,534
|
|
| 8 PM | DET 4, NYY 8 |
1
|
NYY 1-0
|
FOX |
5.6
|
8,358
|
|
| Wed., 10/4/06 | 1 PM | OAK 5, MIN 2 |
2
|
OAK 2-0
|
ESPN |
1.5
|
1,972
|
| 4 PM | LAD 5, NYM 6 |
1
|
NYM 1-0
|
ESPN |
2.5
|
3,266
|
|
| Thu., 10/5/06 | 1 PM | DET 4, NYY 3 |
2
|
TIE 1-1
|
ESPN |
2.2
|
2,890
|
| 4 PM | STL 2, SD 0 |
2
|
STL 2-0
|
ESPN |
2.6
|
3,477
|
|
| 8 PM | LAD 1, NYM 4 |
2
|
NYM 2-0
|
FOX |
4.5
|
6,392
|
|
| Fri., 10/6/06 | 4 PM | MIN 3, OAK 8 |
3
|
OAK 3-0
|
ESPN |
2.3
|
3,029
|
| 8 PM | NYY 0, DET 6 |
3
|
DET 2-1
|
ESPN |
4.4
|
6,561
|
|
| Sat., 10/7/06 | 1 PM | SD 3, STL 1 |
3
|
STL 2-1
|
ESPN2 |
1.5
|
2,125
|
| 4 PM | NYY 3, DET 8 |
4
|
DET 3-1
|
FOX |
4.5
|
6,646
|
|
| 8 PM | NYM 9, LAD 5 |
3
|
NYM 3-0
|
FOX |
4.5
|
6,775
|
|
| Sun., 10/8/06 | 8 PM | SD 2, STL 6 |
4
|
STL 3-1
|
FOX |
4.8
|
7,106
|
|
2007 MLB DIVISON SERIES
|
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Date
|
Time
|
Game
|
#
|
Series
|
Net
|
U.S. Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
| Wed., 10/3/07 | 3 PM | COL 4, PHI 2 |
1
|
COL 1-0
|
TBS |
2.2
|
3,171
|
| 6:30 PM | LAA 0, BOS 4 |
1
|
BOS 1-0
|
TBS |
3.7
|
5,460
|
|
| 10 PM | CHC 1, ARI 3 |
1
|
ARI 1-0
|
TBS |
3.4
|
5,133
|
|
| Thu., 10/3/07 | 3 PM | COL 10, PHI 5 |
2
|
COL 2-0
|
TBS |
2.3
|
3,298
|
| 6:30 PM | NYY 3, CLE 12 |
1
|
CLE 1-0
|
TBS |
4.5
|
6,683
|
|
| 10 PM | CHC 4, ARI 8 |
2
|
ARI 2-0
|
TBS |
2.6
|
3,735
|
|
| Fri., 10/5/07 | 5 PM | NYY 1, CLE 2 |
2
|
CLE 2-0
|
TBS |
4.9
|
7,578
|
| 8:30 PM | LAA 3, BOS 6 |
2
|
BOS 2-0
|
TBS |
4.2
|
6,386
|
|
| Sat., 10/6/07 | 6 PM | ARI 5, CHC 1 |
3
|
ARI 3-0
|
TBS |
3.0
|
4,670
|
| 9:30 PM | PHI 1, COL 2 |
3
|
COL 3-0
|
TBS |
2.8
|
4,484
|
|
| Sun., 10/7/07 | 3 PM | BOS 9, LAA 1 |
3
|
BOS 3-0
|
TBS |
2.8
|
4,201
|
| 6:30 PM | CLE 4, NYY 8 |
3
|
CLE 2-1
|
TBS |
5.4
|
8,460
|
|
| Mon., 10/8/07 | 7:30 PM | CLE 6, NYY 4 |
4
|
CLE 3-1
|
TBS |
5.9
|
9,232
|
|
2008 MLB DIVISON SERIES
|
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Date
|
Time
|
Game
|
#
|
Series
|
Net
|
U.S. Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
| Wed., 10/1/08 | 3 PM | MIL 1, PHI 3 |
1
|
PHI 1-0
|
TBS |
2.0
|
2,764
|
| 6:30 PM | LAD 7, CHC 2 |
1
|
LAD 1-0
|
TBS |
3.5
|
5,381
|
|
| 10 PM | BOS 4, LAA 1 |
1
|
BOS 1-0
|
TBS |
3.0
|
4,442
|
|
| Thu., 10/2/08 | 2:30 PM | CHW 4, TB 6 |
1
|
TB 1-0
|
TBS |
2.0
|
2,610
|
| 6 PM | MIL 2, PHI 5 |
2
|
PHI 2-0
|
TBS |
2.7
|
4,196
|
|
| 9:30 PM | LAD 10, CHC 3 |
2
|
LAD 2-0
|
TBS |
2.6
|
4,024
|
|
| Fri., 10/3/08 | 6 PM | CHW 2, TB 6 |
2
|
TB 2-0
|
TBS |
2.6
|
3,895
|
| 9:30 PM | BOS 7, LAA 5 |
2
|
BOS 2-0
|
TBS |
3.3
|
5,268
|
|
| Sat., 10/4/08 | 6:30 PM | PHI 1, MIL 4 |
3
|
PHI 2-1
|
TBS |
2.9
|
4,573
|
| 10 PM | CHC 1, LAD 3 |
3
|
LAD 3-0
|
TBS |
3.2
|
5,224
|
|
| Sun., 10/5/08 | 1 PM | PHI 6, MIL 2 |
4
|
PHI 3-1
|
TBS |
1.5
|
2,220
|
| 4:30 PM | TB 3, CHW 5 |
3
|
TB 2-1
|
TBS |
2.2
|
3,352
|
|
| 7:50 PM | LAA 5, BOS 4 |
3
|
BOS 2-1
|
TBS |
3.9
|
6,199
|
|
| Mon., 10/6/08 | 5 PM | TB 6, CHW 2 |
4
|
TB 3-1
|
TBS |
2.2
|
3,096
|
| 8:30 PM | LAA 2, BOS 3 |
4
|
BOS 3-1
|
TBS |
3.6
|
5,720
|
|
|
2009 MLB DIVISON SERIES
|
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Date
|
Time
|
Game
|
#
|
Series
|
Net
|
U.S. Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
| Wed., 10/7/09 | 2:30 PM | COL 1, PHI 5 |
1
|
PHI 1-0 | TBS |
2.0
|
2,758
|
| 6:00 PM | MIN 2, NYY 7 |
1
|
NYY 1-0 | TBS |
4.3
|
6,607
|
|
| 9:30 PM | STL 3, LAD 5 |
1
|
LAD 1-0 | TBS |
3.3
|
4,973
|
|
| Thu., 10/8/09 | 2:30 PM | COL 5, PHI 4 |
2
|
TIE 1-1 | TBS |
2.2
|
2,955
|
| 6:00 PM | STL 2, LAD 3 |
2
|
LAD 2-1 | TBS |
3.5
|
5,175
|
|
| 9:30 PM | BOS 0, LAA 5 |
2
|
LAA 1-0 | TBS |
3.0
|
4,437
|
|
| Fri., 10/9/09 | 6:00 PM | MIN 3, NYY 4 |
2
|
NYY 2-0 | TBS |
4.1
|
6,484
|
| 9:30 PM | BOS 1, LAA 4 |
2
|
LAA 2-0 | TBS |
3.3
|
5,069
|
|
| Sat., 10/10/09 | 6:00 PM | LAD 5, STL 1 |
3
|
LAD 3-0 | TBS |
2.6
|
4,021
|
| Sun., 10/11/09 | 12:00 PM | LAA 7, BOS 6 |
3
|
LAA 3-0 | TBS |
2.1
|
2,936
|
| 7 PM | NYY 4, MIN 1 |
3
|
NYY 3-0 | TBS |
4.1
|
6,791
|
|
| 10:30 PM | PHI 6, COL 5 |
3
|
PHI 2-1 | TBS |
2.7
|
4,084
|
|
| Mon., 10/12/09 | 6:00 PM | PHI 5, COL 4 |
4
|
PHI 3-1 | TBS |
3.2
|
5,204
|
|
2010 MLB DIVISON SERIES
|
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Date
|
Time
|
Game
|
#
|
Series
|
Net
|
U.S. Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
| Wed., 10/6/10 | 1:30 PM | TEX 5, TB 1 |
1
|
TEX 1-0
|
TBS |
1.6
|
2,244
|
| 5 PM | CIN 0, PHI 4 |
1
|
PHI 1-0
|
TBS |
2.7
|
4,209
|
|
| 8:30 PM | NYY 6, MIN 4 |
1
|
NYY 1-0
|
TBS |
4.3
|
6,914
|
|
| Thu., 10/7/10 | 2:30 PM | TEX 6, TB 0 |
2
|
TEX 2-0
|
TBS |
1.8
|
2,421
|
| 6 PM | NYY 5, MIN 2 |
2
|
NYY 2-0
|
TBS |
3.5
|
5,314
|
|
| 9:30 PM | ATL 0, SF 1 |
1
|
SF 1-0
|
TBS |
3.1
|
4,888
|
|
| Fri., 10/8/10 | 6 PM | CIN 4, PHI 7 |
2
|
PHI 2-0
|
TBS |
3.1
|
5,024
|
| 9:30 PM | ATL 5, SF 4 |
2
|
TIE 1-1
|
TBS |
3.0
|
4,774
|
|
| Sat., 10/9/10 | 5 PM | TB 6, TEX 3 |
3
|
TEX 2-1
|
TBS |
2.2
|
3,513
|
| 8:30 PM | MIN 1, NYY 6 |
3
|
NYY 3-0
|
TBS |
3.0
|
4,810
|
|
| Sun., 10/10/10 | 1 PM | TB 5, TEX 2 |
4
|
TIE 2-2
|
TBS |
1.5
|
2,219
|
| 4:30 PM | SF 3, ATL 2 |
3
|
SF 2-1
|
TBS |
2.6
|
4,238
|
|
| 8 PM | PHI 2, CIN 0 |
3
|
PHI 3-0
|
TBS |
2.8
|
4,653
|
|
| Mon., 10/11/10 | 7:30 PM | SF 3, ATL 2 |
4
|
SF 3-1
|
TBS |
3.0
|
4,667
|
| Tue., 10/12/10 | 8 PM | TEX 5, TB 1 |
5
|
TEX 3-2
|
TBS |
4.1
|
6,410
|
(Information from Nielsen Wire, Turner Sports, Media Life Magazine)
