TBS averaged a 3.1 overnight for yesterday’s three MLB LDS games, up 11% from the net’s two games on the comparable Monday last year. All three of TBS’ games yesterday were potentially series-deciding matchups, whereas the comparable day in ’12 had only two Game 2s.
GROWTH CONTINUES: TBS is averaging a 2.3 fast-national rating and 3.5 million viewers through Sunday’s LDS games (11 telecasts), up 5% and 2%, respectively, from the same period last year. The ’12 figure also includes Giants-Reds NLDS Game 2 on TNT. TBS’ Sunday doubleheader averaged a 2.0 rating and 3.2 million viewers, up 19% and 18%, respectively, from the comparable Sunday in ’12 (Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor).
TOP TEAM: SPORTS ON EARTH's Will Leitch wrote the TBS studio crew for the MLB playoffs has been "so refreshing, and so fun," and it is "pretty obvious already that this is the best baseball studio crew in recent memory." While most pregame and postgame shows "play it safe," TBS' broadcasters are "funny, they're sharp, they're happy to be critical, they're even a little weird." The studio show "has been an instant highlight." The panel is "bizarrely put together, which is a large part of its charm." Dirk Hayhurst has "proven himself an astute, funny and likable analyst." Gary Sheffield is "surprisingly deft and light on his feet." Pedro Martinez has been "the breakout star of the postseason." He is "quick, whip-smart and brutally honest." Martinez is "so talented and beloved that no one has even told him not to say something, so he just plunges forward, undaunted." He is "not afraid to disagree with his fellow panelists." Keith Olbermann is "clearly reveling in being able to bind this motley crew together" (SPORTSONEARTH.com, 10/7). In L.A., Bill Dwyre wonders if TBS' Ernie Johnson is "trying to bring back the good old days of baseball cliches -- when loaded bases were stuffed hassocks and left-handed pitchers were flossy forkhanders -- with his call the other night that two scoring runners were 'crossing the pay station'" (L.A. TIMES, 10/8).
DROPPING BOMBS: The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's Kimberly Nordyke noted with the A's leading the Tigers 6-3 in the bottom of the ninth in yesterday's Game 3, Tigers DH Victor Martinez and A's P Grant Balfour "began yelling 'F--- you' at each other." Each of the profanities was "heard loud and clear" during MLB Network's coverage. One of the commentators "went on to apologize for the uncensored feed" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 10/7).
MARKET WATCH: In Detroit, Bill Shea reported FS Detroit "set another viewership record for Tigers games this season -- and led all teams with the highest average per-game ratings." The RSN's 152 Tigers telecasts averaged an MLB-best 9.59 local rating, "topping last year's record 9.21 average." Finishing second behind the Tigers was FS Midwest's 8.72 local rating in St. Louis for Cardinals' games (CRAINSDETROIT.com, 10/6). Meanwhile, in Dallas, Barry Horn reported local ratings for Rangers' games on FS Southwest this season "dropped about 20 percent from the record 2012 season." The 4.7 local rating was down from a 5.9 rating last season (DALLASNEWS.com, 10/4).
