TBS last night drew a 3.2 overnight rating for the D-backs' 11-8 win over the Rockies, giving the net a primetime win on cable TV, but marking the lowest overnight for an MLB Wild Card telecast since the new format began in '12. The previous low overnight for a Wild Card was a 3.3 rating seen by TBS' Cardinals-Braves game in '12, which aired on a Friday afternoon, as well as last year's Blue Jays-Orioles matchup, which aired up against a VP debate and did not have figures from the Toronto market. Last night's telecast also was hit by increased coverage on cable news networks around the Las Vegas shooting. CNN, MSNBC and Fox News last night combined for a 5.1 overnight in primetime, up from a 3.3 rating on the same night last year. D-Backs-Rockies also marked the first time two teams from a West division played each other in an MLB Wild Card. Last night's game peaked at a 3.6 rating from 11:30-11:45pm ET, rebounding from earlier when the D-backs took a 6-0 lead. The game, which began at 8:08pm, had gone up to a 3.5 rating at around 9:30-9:45pm, then dipped to a 3.2 around 10:45-11:00pm before beginning to climb back up. Phoenix drew a 12.7 local rating for the game, which is the best figure in the market for an MLB game since '11. Denver drew a 13.1 local rating, which was the best for any MLB game there since '09 (Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor).
DIVISIONAL TIES: On Long Island, Neil Best notes MLB Network through next Wednesday is offering as a "free preview on most pay television services, which vastly will expand its reach." The net will be seen in about 90 million homes "compared to its usual 63 million or so." MLB Network is set to televise today's Red Sox-Astros ALDS Game 1 and tomorrow's Yankees-Indians ALDS Game 2 (NEWSDAY, 10/5). CABLEFAX's Alex Silverman noted MLB Network has "exclusive rights to two Division Series games each year." MLB Network President Rob McGlarry: "These two Division Series games in many ways are our World Series. They’re the most premium content we’re going to air this year." He noted the week-long trial "makes the games available to more viewers and subscribers" (CABLEFAX.com, 10/4).
COME PREPARED: TBS is airing all NL playoff games this postseason, and in L.A., Tom Hoffarth wrote Turner Sports and MLB "may be too optimistic that a baseball playoff game will finish somewhere between three- and 3 1/2 hours." When TBS slots the Cubs-Nationals NLDS Game 1 and 2 tomorrow and Saturday in the window ahead of the Dodgers series, viewers should "be prepared." Hoffarth: "If/when those games run long, the start to the Dodgers-D’backs will be pushed over to sister station TNT" (INSIDESOCAL.com, 10/4).
TIME OUT OF MIND: SNY’s Jonas Schwartz noted as “great and exhilarating” as the Yankees' AL Wild Card win over the Twins was, it "still took 3 hours and 51 minutes.” That comes as pace of play "continues to be an issue baseball wants to deal with.” SNY’s Sal Licata said the length of games will be a “problem” if playoff games are played like Yankees-Twins. He said, "I didn’t find that game highly entertaining.” The N.Y. Daily News’ Anthony McCarron: “I don't want to sit through these games that take forever.” The N.Y. Daily News' Amara Grautski said, "It was a long game, but this is what you wait for” (“Daily News Live,” SNY, 10/4). The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Jason Gay writes under the header, "Baseball Won’t Last Forever, If It Takes Forever" (WSJ.com, 10/5).
THE SMALL SCREEN: Numerous Twitter users commented on TBS' on-screen graphics during the game. GQ's Keith Olbermann: "Um, TBS? I can't read your score box. And I'm watching you on a 90-INCH TV." Awful Announcing: "The TBS scorebug is the worst we can recall. Most scorebugs have been getting bigger so they show better on mobile and tablet." Fanrag Sports' Jesse Spector: "The TBS score box is so small, it's just about useless." NFL Network’s Andrew Siciliano: "I commend TBS for keeping the screen clutter-free. That said, that score bug is tiny. Legitimately hard to read while watching in a bar." FS Southwest's CJ Nitkowski: "Font size on TBS radar gun. 4?"
