TBS is averaging a 3.1 rating and 5.119 million viewers through two games of the Royals-Orioles ALCS, up 3% and 9%, respectively, from the comparable Cardinals-Dodgers series last year. Last year’s ALCS aired exclusively on Fox. The gains for TBS come despite the markets for this year’s ALCS being 70% smaller than last year’s NLCS. K.C. and Baltimore mark the smallest ALCS markets ever (dating back to ’69). The Royals-Orioles series also is delivering TBS gains among all key demos. TBS drew 5.92 million viewers for ALCS Game 1 on Friday night, up 9% from the Cardinals-Dodgers opener last year. The extra-innings game on Friday was the fifth of the postseason to date, which is tied for the most in any postseason since ’04. Game 2 on Saturday afternoon, which was not decided until the ninth inning, drew 4.3 million viewers, up 26% from Cardinals-Dodgers Game 2 in the same time slot last year (Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor).
WHAT DOES THE FOX SAY? FS1 scored a 2.9 overnight for the Cardinals' walk-off win over the Giants in Game 2 of the NLCS last night from 8:00-11:45pm ET, marking FS1's second-best overnight on record. The comparable Red Sox-Tigers matchup in '13 earned a 5.9 overnight, but aired on Fox. In '12, TBS drew a 2.8 overnight for Cardinals-Dodgers Game 2 on a Saturday (Josh Carpenter, Staff Writer).
GO LIGHT ON ME: In Baltimore, David Zurawik noted the beginning of ALCS Game 1 "had to be delayed for almost two minutes" because of TBS' pregame show, as its "high-powered TV lights used to brighten the set behind the bullpens in center field were on, and the home plate umpire thought they would distract" batters. It took 1 minute, 45 seconds before the lights turned off. There "is simply no way to be nice about this gaffe." However, things "did improve considerably for TBS once the game got underway" (Baltimore SUN, 10/11). Zurawik wrote TBS' Ernie Johnson has been "one of the few bright spots" during the ALCS due to his "easygoing but animated play-by-play." He "never seems to be forcing himself on the action." Johnson: "Less is always more in a playoff game." He added, "When you’ve got 48,000 fans waving towels and screaming, and the graphic on the screen says, ‘Three balls and two strikes,’ you don’t have to say a lot. The pictures and the sound tell the story." Overall, Zurawik wrote TBS has been "delivering lackluster telecasts" for the ALCS. Cal Ripken Jr.’s "lifeless analysis during both games has been almost as depressing as the Orioles’ play" (Baltimore SUN, 10/13). In N.Y., Phil Mushnick writes watching the ALCS has been neither "simple nor pleasant." TBS' telecasts "again look like the illuminated overhead menus in fast food joints." Allowing the game to "speak for itself -- to breathe -- is forbidden." Meanwhile, ESPN Radio's Jon Sciambi, who also is calling the ALCS, "continues to be a snug harbor in a sea of absurdity." His calls "satisfy all mind’s-eye needs and wants" (N.Y. POST, 10/13).
POSITIVE FOR THE PADRES: In San Diego, John Maffei noted for FS San Diego's first two seasons, the Padres, Fox and Time Warner Cable "were locked in a dispute" that shut 20-30% of the county out, so since the sides in February came to an agreement, it "figures TV ratings numbers would rise." However, an increase of 25% was "more than could be expected." The Padres finished the regular season with a 3.06 local rating, up 25.3% from '13. Of the 150-plus games on the RSN, 26 "hit a 4.0 or better rating, compared to eight last season" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 10/12).
