As pennant races conclude, MLB is "bringing more fans to TV
sets ... than they did last season," according to Michael Freeman
of MEDIAWEEK. Based on an analysis of local TV ratings to date
of the 26 U.S. based teams, 18 of the 30 broadcast outlets have
increased ratings over last year. But "only 11 of those 18 have
managed to creep back up to the same or similar ratings netted
before the strike." MEDIAWEEK features a chart listing their
"Baseball '96 Scoreboard." Biggest gainers in local ratings over
'95: Padres, up 47% and 49% respectively on KFMB and KSWB:
Cardinals, up 47% on KPLR; Rangers up 96% and 23% on KXAS and
KXTX; Twins up 55% on KLGT; Yankees up 35% on WPIX. Biggest
drop: Reds down 53% on WSTR; Angles down 29% on KCAL; Red Sox
down 25% on WABU. Nationally, Fox's numbers averaged a 2.8/9
share through August, and Neal Pilson of Pilson Communications
notes that is about 30% below the 4.0 Fox projected to
advertisers. Pilson: "I am not being critical of the product Fox
puts on the air. ... The truth is that baseball -- on a national
level -- has been exhibiting a continuing pattern of erosion for
quite some time" (MEDIAWEEK, 9/23 issue).
CROWN JEWEL: Fox has cut the price of World Series ad units
by $75,000 according to ad buyers in MEDIAWEEK. The price of a
30-second spot was dropped to $250,000. Even though "the event
is 75% sold, the market has been slow in taking those last
remaining spots" (MEDIAWEEK, 9/23 issue).
NO DEBATE ABOUT IT: ESPN's Bob Ley noted that although two
presidential debates and the vice presidential debate both
conflict with baseball playoff games, both Fox and NBC "say they
will televise baseball rather than the debates if it does come
down to that" ("Sports Center," ESPN 9/25).
FOX LOVES L.A.: Fox announced this morning the creation of a
second RSN based in L.A., anchored by the Dodgers. Fox has
reached a deal with Tele-TV to sub-license Dodger cable rights,
and beginning in '97, 40 games will premiere on the new network.
As part of the deal, Tele-TV has obtained long-term carriage
rights to the new network, to which it holds certain exclusive
distribution rights (Fox).
