Turner Sports averaged a 2.7 U.S. rating and 4.19 million viewers for 19 MLB LDS games across TBS and TNT, down 4% and 6%, respectively, from a 2.8 rating and 4.4 million viewers last year for 16 telecasts, all of which were on TBS. This year marks the second straight year the LDS has seen an audience decline. A Friday start for this year’s LDS got Turner off to a slow start in ratings/viewership, as did the rainout of Tigers-Yankees Game One, which was moved from Friday on TBS to Saturday and also bumped Game Two of the series to TNT on a Sunday afternoon opposite NFL action. The audience figures never quite caught up to last year despite three LDS series going to a deciding Game Give. The highlight of the series was last Thursday’s Tigers-Yankees ALDS Game Five, which marked the best audience for any LDS game (broadcast or cable) since ’05. TBS wrapped up its coverage with two Game Fives last Friday. Cardinals-Phillies Game Five earned a 5.1 U.S. rating and 8.4 million viewers, making it the most-viewed NLDS game ever on cable TV. The Brewers-D’Backs game averaged a 3.8 rating and 6.1 million viewers. The two telecasts led TBS to a primetime win among all cable nets on Friday, and second in all of TV.
LCS OVERNIGHT RATINGS: Fox earned a 3.9 overnight rating for Tigers-Rangers ALCS Game One on Saturday night, which featured two rain delays from 9:45-10:00pm ET and 11:00-11:45pm. The game finished at approximately 1:00am. Rain delays were excluded from the overnight figure. Tigers-Rangers is down 25% from a 5.2 overnight for the net’s Giants-Phillies NLCS Game One last year. TBS averaged a 2.4 overnight for Cardinals-Brewers NLCS Game One in the 4:00pm window. The net aired the Rangers-Yankees ALCS last year, with Game One airing on a Friday night. Yesterday’s Cardinals-Brewers game averaged a 31.0 rating in Milwaukee and a 22.9 rating in St. Louis (Austin Karp, THE DAILY).
THE REVIEWS ARE IN: Former Red Sox manager Terry Francona filled in for Tim McCarver as Fox' game analyst during Tigers-Rangers Game One, and MLB.com's Evan Drellich wrote Francona was "sharp, swiftly moving between the funny and the intricate." Francona after the game said that "filling in is all [his] broadcasting career will be." Drellich noted half "of the battle for any broadcast duo is developing a flow," which play-by-play announcer Joe Buck and Francona accomplished, but Francona was "sure he wasn't the one largely responsible for that." Francona said Buck "took care of me. I wouldn't have done it without him. Heck yeah, I'm nervous to the end. It's foreign to me. I'd never done that before" (
MLB.com, 10/9). In Boston, Peter Abraham wrote Francona "does not expect to make television his new career." Francona said, "I hope I have fun. I want to have fun. I'm more comfortable in a uniform and I always will be" (
BOSTON GLOBE, 10/9). USA TODAY's Michael Hiestand writes Francona "seemed relaxed on-air," and "credible." Francona said, "I don't want to get carried away with myself. We did one game, and they babysat me through it" (
USA TODAY, 10/10). In St. Petersburg, Tom Jones writes Francona "did fine Saturday night." It felt like Buck was "interviewing Francona to get him to talk early, but Francona relaxed and eventually eased into offering solid analysis." He "was best when giving insight into the strengths and weaknesses of pitchers and hitters and, of course, when dissecting and predicting the strategies of the managers." Meanwhile, in going with Francona, Fox "passed over Eric Karros and Mark Grace, each of whom worked regional games" on Fox this season. Jones: "It does make you wonder what Fox will do when McCarver ... ultimately retires" (
ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 10/10).
POSITIVE REAX FROM TWITTER: Francona's presence in Fox' booth was generally well recieved by people on Twitter. SI.com’s Richard Deitsch wrote, “Got 43 responses on Terry Francona, and I'd tab 40 of them as being overwhelmingly positive. He's winning Rome. (Or at least this feed.)” The N.Y. Daily News’ John Harper wrote, “Francona a great listen. Insights on what players can/can't do, and what to expect, obviously based on managing against them.” Grantland.com’s Bill Simmons wrote, “He's terrific. Making Joe Buck better too. Very good combo.” Yahoo Sports’ Kevin Kaduk wrote, “Is it just me or does even Joe Buck seem more relaxed without Tim McCarver in the booth?” Death Cab For Cutie singer Ben Gibbard wrote, “1/2 an inning into this thing and Terry Francona is already the best color commentator FOX has.” SI’s Joe Posnanski wrote, “Terry Francona. Talk more. Please.” The Boston Globe’s Abraham wrote, “Sounds like Tim McCarver is getting Wally Pipped by Francona. Good for Tito, he really was nervous beforehand.” SI.com’s Jimmy Traina noted Buck asked Francona how he likes being in the booth. Francona said, "I wanna chew & I wanna be able to curse at will, but I can't do either." The Beaver County Times’ John Perrotto noted Buck asked Francona whether it was tougher managing in Boston or Philadelphia, as he managed the Phillies from '97-'00. Francona replied, "Geez, what's next? Beirut?"
KEEP YOUR DAY JOB? In N.Y., Bob Raissman prior to the ALCS Game One broadcast wrote regardless of "how you thought Francona handled Saturday night's Game 1, this is still a bad idea." Raissman: "The Foxies are putting Francona, a guy with exactly one game of baseball broadcasting experience, on the biggest of stages. And they're actually expecting him to give baseball fans what they deserve, a compelling, competent contribution to the telecast. ... This is a disaster waiting to happen." The important thing for Fox "is the buzz Francona will generate." Raissman: "So what if he can't handle the gig? More important is the possibility he can attract added eyeballs." The move also "stinks for another reason," as Karros and Grace were both bypassed. Raissman: "Both Karros and Grace have proven they are capable of handling the gig. Unlike Francona, they actually have broadcast experience. What they don't have is star power" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/9).
TOSSING A GEM: The ST. PETERSBURG TIMES' Jones writes TBS analysts John Smoltz and Ron Darling "have been nothing short of outstanding on TBS's coverage of the baseball playoffs." The two "might be the best in baseball" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 10/10). In N.Y., Mike Lupica wrote Smoltz and Darling "have been terrific together" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/9). In Milwaukee, Bob Wolfley writes Smoltz and Darling "have a nice chemistry," and they "aren't engaged in one-upmanship or giving us phony, ginned up arguments." Rather they are "two colleagues talking to one another about strategy and the viewers are listening in and learning" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 10/10).
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE? In St. Louis, Dan Caesar noted TBS play-by-play announcer Brian Anderson, who serves as a Brewers broadcaster during the regular season, "knows he's probably going to take heat from fans of each side" while calling the Cardinals-Brewers series. Brewers fans "undoubtedly will think Anderson's selling out with the more straight style needed for a national audience than a local telecast, and some Redbirds fans certainly will think he's favoring the Brewers." Anderson said, "I'm not concerned about public perception. I know there probably will be some barking on either side." Caesar noted this is the "fourth season Anderson has been doing some baseball broadcasting for Turner, and this will be his biggest stage." Anderson said, "I'm glad they showed the trust in me to allow me to do it. It's an honor to be part of it and to have an NL Central showdown certainly helps with the prep and the travel" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 10/9). Anderson added, "Really as a play-by-play guy you are just reporting. You are reporting the news of the day whatever that is. ... It's really the analyst who can take it where he wants it. So I don't feel any burden by it" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 10/9).
PLUSH LANGUAGE: In N.Y., Daniel O'Leary reported Brewers RF Nyjer Morgan after Friday night's NLDS-clinching win over the D'Backs "celebrated with some F-bombs on live television." While TBS sideline reporter Sam Ryan "tried to corral him, Morgan paid mind only to the raucous Milwaukee crowd, blurting out 'F--- yeah!' in range of the TV microphone, though it was heard faintly." But it "happened again as Ryan approached and put the mic up to Morgan's face as he was still celebrating." O'Leary: "For good measure, [he] let it go a third time. Clear as day. In his defense, it seems Morgan doesn't even know of the attempted interview" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/8).
LOW RATINGS AROUND THE METROPLEX: In Dallas, Barry Horn noted ratings for the Rangers-Rays ALDS in Dallas-Ft. Worth "were not impressive." Of the eight hometown markets involved in the divisional series, Dallas-Ft. Worth "ranked seventh through the four games it took the Rangers to eliminate the Rays." Only Phoenix "kept the Rangers from the basement." Horn noted game times for the Rangers-Rays series, "which had three afternoon starts, were lousy." But those games "started early in Tampa, too," and ratings there "were more than one-third higher" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 10/8).
