Eleven MLB LCS games this year on Fox and NBC combined
for an average final national Nielsen rating of 7.0/13, down
32% from a 10.3/19 for the same number of games played last
year, according to the AP. The Mariners-Yankees ALCS Game
Six produced an 8.8/15 final rating on NBC, bringing the
ALCS final average rating to a 7.7. The Mets-Cardinals
five-game NLCS averaged a 6.2 rating, the lowest ever for
LCS', which have been played since '69 (AP/ESPN.com, 10/18).
BLOOMBERG's Rick Westhead writes that the ALCS Game Six
rating was down 43% from last year's 15.4/27 for Game Six of
Mets-Braves. NBC reported that the game was available to 89%
of the nation, and Nielsen noted that NBC's playoff rating
"may have been hurt" when NBC affils in 26 of the top 49
metered markets chose to broadcast the third presidential
debate, moving the game to NBC partner Pax Network or
independent channels. In Baltimore, the U.S.'s 24th largest
TV market, the game was "unavailable altogether."
Schulman/Advanswers, N.Y., Exec VP Tom DeCabia, on the lower
ratings: "There's one problem and one only: the games are
four hours long, way too long. [The nets] have alienated
the young viewer. The average kid today could name more
wrestlers than baseball players" (BLOOMBERG, 10/19). The
ALCS Game Six rating from non-NBC stations were not included
in NBC's number (N.Y. TIMES, 10/19). NEWSDAY's Steve Zipay
writes that the ALCS Game Six on Tuesday night "produced a
whopping" 33.7/47 for WNBC in N.Y., where one ratings point
represents 67,000 homes (NEWSDAY, 10/19).
FOX IS JACKED UP FOR THE SERIES: Fox President of Sales
Jon Nesvig said that the net "has sold out most of the ad
inventory" for the first five games of the World Series.
The cost of a 30-second spot "is in the range of" $325,000.
Meanwhile, the WALL STREET JOURNAL's Joe Flint writes that
"opinion is mixed" among advertisers and TV execs on whether
a Subway Series "will draw big audiences outside" of N.Y.
Pilson Communications President Neal Pilson said he
"wouldn't be surprised" if ratings for the Series are "on
the low end of expectations." True North Communications' TN
Media Unit Senior VP Steve Sternberg: "A subway series has
the best story lines, and since most baseball fans are
either Yankee lovers or Yankee haters, that gives this
matchup an edge." Flint notes that "regardless of how the
Series does, there is still much concern about baseball's
declining ratings over the past few years" (WALL STREET
JOURNAL, 10/19). Sternberg said the Mets-Yankees matchup
"has just as good a chance as any" to draw higher ratings.
Sternberg: "Against general consensus opinion, I think the
Yankees and Mets will do better than any combination would
have done, unless maybe if [Cardinals 1B] Mark McGwire were
not injured" (William Gildea, WASHINGTON POST, 10/19).
INSIDE.com's Tom Bierbaum writes the World Series "will
probably settle for some record lows, but not because both
teams are from New York." He writes a Yankees-Mets mix
"probably has more promotional punch and national appeal"
than other potential matchups (INSIDE.com, 10/19). In
Milwaukee, Bob Wolfley writes, "In terms of ratings, Fox
doesn't care if two New York teams are in the Series. But
it cares desperately that it goes at least six. Heaven
would be seven" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 10/19).
LOCAL SALES: In N.Y., Phyllis Furman writes that WNYW-
Fox "is projecting high ratings and will reap a windfall in
ad dollars thanks to tremendous demand among local
advertisers." Media buyers said that Fox increased the cost
of a 30-second spot on the games to $300,000 -- "as much as
three times what the station was asking before" the Yankees
won to set up the Subway Series (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/19).
