Fox earned a 17.2/27 overnight rating for its coverage
of Game Four of the World Series. The Series was averaging
a 13.4/33 going in to last night's game, but even with the
17.2, which is the highest overnight in the Series, it will
still be the lowest-rated Series in MLB history (THE DAILY).
GAME THREE: Tuesday's Game Three earned a 15.4/25 final
rating, giving Fox "ratings that outperform its usual
programming." ABC's season-premiere of "NYPD Blue" earned a
15.7 from 10:00-11:00pm (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 10/22).
OUT-FOXED? USA TODAY's Rudy Martzke writes that this
"dream baseball season has turned into a World Series
ratings nightmare for Fox," as the '98 Series "is headed for
the lowest Fall Classic rating of all time." Fox Sports
Senior VP/Media Relations Vince Wladika, before Game Four:
"Games have been competitive, but the Series isn't. With a
3-0 lead, you tend to have viewer tune-out. And the World
Series is up against the toughest counterprogramming of any
major sports championship. The NBA Finals have a cakewalk
compared to this." Martzke reports that the Yankees' sweep
cost Fox "about $15 million in lost advertising revenue it
had sold for a potential Game 5" (USA TODAY, 10/22). DAILY
VARIETY's Bierbaum & Adalian report that the Series
"typically accounts for roughly 75% to 80% of a network's
annual baseball bill," which sources say is $115M for Fox.
At a rate of $250,000 to $300,000 per 30-second spot, Fox
was "hauling in between" $15-20M for each Series game. Fox
"needed a five-game series to break even and at least six
games to turn a profit." But Fox Sports "insiders" say that
the net "should still break even on its overall baseball
pact this season, thanks in part to strong ratings growth
during the regular season" (DAILY VARIETY, 10/22).
RATINGS REAX: In N.Y., Richard Sandomir: "Let's not go
around feeling sorry for Fox. They knew they were buying a
property that no longer garnered 30 ratings, and even at
lower levels, the ratings have still enabled Fox to win the
ratings on each of the games' nights. ... Luckily, Fox has
not pared its on-air efforts, even if the ratings are down."
More Sandomir: "Weren't we all persuaded that baseball was
no longer recovering, but was back, at full throttle, ready
to maul football and basketball? What happened to the
afterglow?" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/22). In Chicago, Ed Sherman:
"On the heels of one of the most exciting seasons ever,
baseball's crown jewel is dying. Pilson Communications
President Neal Pilson: "Baseball was so personality-driven
this year that the absence of these personalities has
created a vacuum" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/22).
