Fox is averaging 18.3 million viewers through two games of the Indians-Cubs World Series, marking the best start to the Fall Classic since Phillies-Yankees averaged 19.2 million viewers for their matchup in '09. That series in '09 began on a Wednesday and Thursday, compared to this year's Tuesday/Wednesday start. The 18.3 million viewers is up 23% over the same period last year for the Royals-Mets World Series. Despite Game 2 on Wednesday starting an hour earlier than initially scheduled (7:08pm ET) due to the threat of rain, Fox finished with 17.4 million viewers, marking the best Game 2 since '09 (18.9 million viewers). Cubs-Indians Game 2 also was up from 13.7 million viewers for Royals-Mets Game 2 last year (Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor).
START OF A BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIP: In Atlanta, Carroll Rogers Walton writes under the header, "Smoltz Shines In Debut As World Series Color Analyst." Fox analyst John Smoltz is setting up announcer Joe Buck "with ease." They "worked together only sporadically before October, but Buck has taken to completing Smoltz’s sentences." Smoltz "brought handwritten notes to the World Series booth and an iPad full of files on each pitcher, but what showed up most during the first two broadcasts was all the hours he put in watching video." If Smoltz sounded like a pitcher "prepared to take on the Cubs or Indians lineup, it’s because he had scouted them as if he would" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 10/28). In Albany, Pete Dougherty writes with Buck and Smoltz, Fox "seems to be doing it right in the World Series." Buck "offers all the qualities you want in a baseball announcer." The analyst's chair has "been Fox's issue, but the network has solved that" with Smoltz. Meanwhile, Fox' production is "far better than what we saw from TBS during the postseason." But the telecasts are "far from perfect," as the broadcast team is "fawning too much over" Cubs DH Kyle Schwarber (Albany TIMES UNION, 10/28). Buck in a special to SI.com wrote calling the World Series from Wrigley Field will "be the No. 1 highlight" of his career. Buck: "Some Cubs fans may think I’m on their bandwagon. I don’t ride on bandwagons. But if you put your allegiances aside for a moment, hopefully you can understand. This is history" (SI.com, 10/27).
SET PIECES: In S.F., Bruce Jenkins writes he was "among the skeptics ridiculing the sight of Alex Rodriguez and Pete Rose on Fox’s Series coverage, but they have been excellent, getting more informative by the day." Jenkins: "Better yet, Kevin Burkhardt is a solid, comfortable host" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 10/28). In L.A., Tom Hoffarth writes if viewers have been "sold on Fox Sports’ MLB pre- and postgame shows this fall, perhaps service-with-a-smile point man" Burkhardt "has a lot to do with it." There is an "art to managing a carnival-like, locker-room atmosphere" with the likes of Rose, Rodriguez and Frank Thomas (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 10/27). In N.Y., Bob Raissman writes Rose and Rodriguez were "not just hired for their baseball IQ’s, which on both accounts are extremely high." They were brought before the cameras "more for their 'unique' personalities, which are to a large extent nefarious." Some viewers are "probably appalled" with the pair. Raissman: "Does anyone want their kids seeing two dirtbags being glorified on TV?" But the concept has "apparently led to a rise in Fox’s pre and postgame show ratings." For Fox execs, "that’s what matters" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/28).
READY FOR THE LIGHTS: WSCR-AM Cubs play-by-play man Pat Hughes on Friday night "expects the electricity" at Wrigley Field to "send chills down his spine, even after all these years in the business." Hughes: "In the regular season, it’s crazy (at Wrigley) if there’s a pennant race going on or a big series. So, you can imagine what it will be like now. Just ratchet that up a few notches and that’s what you’ve got." In Milwaukee, Tom Haudricourt notes Hughes "spent a lot of time in recent days thinking of late broadcast partner Ron Santo." He said, "I worked with him 15 years. He would have been unbelievably happy and emotional. He would have been screaming, laughing and crying, all within two or three minutes of the pennant-winning play. He loved the Cubs so much" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 10/28).
