FS K.C. averaged a 7.0 local rating for this past weekend's three-game Royals-Red Sox series, marking the highest-rated Royals series ever on the RSN. The series included the first game at Fenway Park following the Boston Marathon bombings. The series surpassed the previous Royals ratings high set during the April 8-10 series versus the Twins (6.9 rating). Royals telecasts on the RSN are averaging a 5.7 local rating through 16 games, up 36% over last season (FSN).
HACK JOB: In S.F., Ann Killion notes the official Twitter accounts of both the FIFA World Cup and FIFA President Sepp Blatter "were hacked" yesterday by a group calling itself the Syrian Electronic Army. The "tweet attack is merely another example of the intertwining of soccer and global politics." It is an "example of how, even in the midst of national crisis, soccer remains an obsessive, galvanizing force" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 4/23). The hacking included messages "suggesting the decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar had been corrupted" (ESPNFC.com, 4/22).
SHIFT IN TIME: In St. Louis, Dan Caesar notes sports-talk radio station WXOS-FM is "staying in house to replace" afternoon host Bernie Miklasz. Chris Duncan, a co-host with Randy Karraker and former NFLer D'Marco Farr from 2:00-6:00pm CT, will "switch into the 11 a.m.-2 p.m. slot being vacated by Miklasz." Duncan "will be joined" by Anthony Slater (STLTODAY.com, 4/23).
