Yankees Help Propel Fox To 39% Ratings Bump

Celebrations continue in Gotham today as MLB closes the books on another season, one Commissioner Selig dubbed its “greatest.” The postseason will be remembered for many reasons, but one element can’t be denied: the unquestionable draw of the Yankees. It’s been six years since the team was in the World Series and it could easily be argued that MLB needed the Yankees in '09 more than ever. Coming off the lowest rated World Series in history, the power of the pinstripes was clear throughout the playoffs. MLB benefited from big markets and the early start times, it had the popular teams in the mix and close competition throughout. But at the end of the day, without the Yankees' global brand, all that may not have mattered. Buoyed by the Bombers, Fox’ six-game average of an 11.9 for the Fall Classic was up a healthy 39% from last year’s lowest rated ever. While there may be no long-term significance to these numbers, it still marks welcome news for a league and its media partners.