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Cubs' Clincher Over Dodgers Is Most-Watched LCS Contest Since '10, Posts Record For FS1

FS1 on Saturday night averaged 9.7 million viewers for the Cubs' NLCS-clinching 5-0 win over the Dodgers, the most-watched LCS telecast on any network since '10. The game, which saw the Cubs advance to their first World Series in 71 years, was also the most-watched program in FS1 history. Cubs-Dodgers Game 6 peaked with 12.2 million viewers between 10:30-10:45pm ET, when the game ended. FS1 last year drew 5.6 million viewers for the ALCS Royals-Blue Jays Game 6 on a Friday night. Cubs-Dodgers finished with a 25.8 local rating in Chicago for Game 6, FS1's best ever for the market. L.A. finished with a 10.2 (Josh Carpenter, Assistant Editor).

NOT BAD AT ALL: In St. Louis, Dan Caesar wondered how big a Cubs-Indians World Series would be "in the ratings.” The World Series has been seen in more than 10.6% of the nation’s TV homes “just once in the last decade," but Fox "could rival that this year.” Fox Sports Exec VP/Research, League Operations & Strategy Mike Mulvihill said, “We certainly would expect to see some of the best World Series numbers we’ve ever seen in probably the last decade. I don’t know that they necessarily would be the best, but they’d be right there” (STLTODAY.com, 10/21).

HOT ROD: SI.com‘s Richard Deitsch wrote Fox for years “struggled to find a compelling baseball pregame and postgame show but they have found something special” with host Kevin Burkhardt and analysts Alex Rodriguez, Pete Rose and Frank Thomas. Producers Jon Kaplan and Royce Dickerson “plan discussions for the program but ultimately let the group go where they want to go.” That free-form approach “has helped the show find its voice.” Fox Sports Coordinating Producer Bardia Shah-Rais said that Rodriguez is “becoming more and more comfortable in meetings and suggesting ideas” (SI.com, 10/23). YAHOO SPORTS’ Liz Roscher wrote FS1’s in-studio team of analysts have been “rolling along nicely this postseason.” Rodriguez is “standing out as a guy with deep baseball knowledge and a thoughtful approach.” During the NLCS Game 5 pregame show, Rose said that former MLBer Derek Jeter “inspired” Rodriguez, who “looks forward and almost laughs.” He has a "look on his face that says ‘yeah, right’” (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 10/21).

BUCK STOPS HERE? In Chicago, John Kass wrote under the header, “Why Are Cubs Fans Hating On Joe Buck?” Kass: “What's with the Joe Buck hate, Cubs fans? Cubs fan tribal loathing continues to build against Joe Buck, a gracious fellow and top broadcaster who has been calling the national games. His voice has been likened to a combination of velvet and peanut butter. And, as a neutral observer, I'm astonished at this tribalism.” Kass wrote, “Please Cubs fans … leave Joe Buck alone” (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/22).

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