Considering how the Yankees "have totally dominated the Mets in terms of TV ratings year after year after year," an early edge for games on SNY over those on YES Network, "even if it turns out to be temporary, is certainly significant," according to Bob Raissman of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. Mets games on SNY through Wednesday are averaging a 2.81 rating in N.Y. compared to a 2.77 rating for Yankees games on YES. Mets ratings also are "up across all demographics" and "suggest more eyeballs, at least during this hot start, are jumping on" the team’s bandwagon. Mets P Matt Harvey "has also contributed to the Mets’ TV ratings." On April 14, with Harvey "making his first home start since returning from Tommy John surgery, Phillies-Mets on SNY pulled a 4.32 rating." That same evening, Yankees-Orioles, with CC Sabathia pitching, "recorded a 2.53 rating on YES" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/24). In N.Y., Richard Sandomir writes it "is fairly obvious: Winning is more attractive than losing," and the Mets "appear to be on the rise." The Yankees "look nothing like the dynastic team of the 1990s or even the highly competitive one of the last decade." Viewership on YES since its launch in '02 "regularly exceeded an average of 400,000 a game each season -- far more than the Mets’ peak of about 314,000" in '07 -- until dipping to 355,000 in '12 and "tumbling to 244,000" in '13 (N.Y. TIMES, 4/24).
BIG BLUE: Fox Sports K.C. has drawn its two highest-rated Royals games over the past week. Tuesday night's game against the Twins drew a record-setting 15.9 local rating in K.C., topping the previous record of a 14.6 for a game against the A's last Sunday. The Royals have had games on the RSN for 14 years (Fox Sports).
