MLB announced that fans entering Busch Stadium for tonight's Rangers-Cardinals World Series Game One "will be required to pass through heightened security" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 10/18). Also coinciding with Game One, First Lady Michelle Obama and Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden will take part in activities that "focus attention not only on the Rangers and Cardinals, but also on veterans and military families." Efforts will benefit MLB's Welcome Back Veterans program and the White House's Joining Forces support system (MLB.com, 10/17).
During the '06 World Series, MLB and the MLBPA "proudly announced that they had come to terms on a five-year" CBA. The two sides "set a new benchmark for timing," and "aspired to match it this year." But with the World Series beginning tonight, "people in the loop aren't optimistic that such an accord will be completed." It is "hard to envision the disagreements leading to any sort of work stoppage," but it "appears that the owners and players won't be able to match the positive public relations they generated five years ago" (NEWSDAY.com, 10/16).
MLB Network analysts will be tweeting live during the first three innings of each of the first four World Series games. Al Leiter (#MLBNLeiter) is scheduled to begin the effort, followed in order by Dan Plesac (#MLBNPlesac), Harold Reynolds (#MLBNReynolds) and Mitch Williams (#MLBNMitch) (Eric Fisher, SportsBusiness Journal).
Fox will also be looking to buck the trend of low World Series ratings this year. Last season's Giants-Rangers five-game series was tied with the '08 Phillies-Rays series as the lowest-rated all-time. Below is a ratings trend for the Fall Classic on Fox.
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WORLD SERIES RATINGS TREND ON FOX
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|
YEAR
|
GAMES
|
RATING
|
VIEWERS (000)
|
MATCHUP
|
|
'10
|
5
|
8.4
|
14,268
|
Giants-Rangers
|
|
'09
|
6
|
11.7
|
19,400
|
Yankees-Phillies
|
|
'08
|
5
|
8.4
|
13,635
|
Phillies-Rays
|
|
'07
|
4
|
10.6
|
17,123
|
Red Sox-Rockies
|
|
'06
|
5
|
10.1
|
15,812
|
Cardinals-Tigers
|
|
'05
|
4
|
11.1
|
17,162
|
White Sox-Astros
|
|
'04
|
4
|
15.8
|
25,390
|
Red Sox-Cardinals
|
|
'03
|
6
|
12.8
|
20,142
|
Marlins-Yankees
|
|
'02
|
7
|
11.9
|
19,261
|
Angels-Giants
|
|
'01
|
7
|
15.7
|
24,528
|
D'Backs-Yankees
|
|
'00
|
5
|
12.4
|
18,081
|
Yankees-Mets
|
