TBS last night drew a 4.5 overnight rating for Cubs-Dodgers NLCS Game 2, down 10% from the same matchup in the NLCS last year on FS1, which also aired on a Sunday night. The game still delivered TBS a win among all cable networks in primetime, and marks the net's second-best LCS Game 2 overnight over the last decade. Last year, TBS carried the ALCS, and drew a 2.2 overnight for Indians-Blue Jays Game 2 on a Saturday afternoon (without any figures from Toronto market). Two years ago, TBS drew a 4.9 overnight for Mets-Cubs NLCS Game 2 on a Sunday night. Through two games of the NLCS this year, TBS is averaging a 4.3 overnight. The net's pre- and post-game shows also are seeing big upticks (+75% for pregame, +10% for postgame) (Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor).
GOOD START: TBS finished with 6.4 million viewers for Cubs-Dodgers Game 1 on Saturday night, up 7% from 5.9 million viewers for the same matchup last year on FS1. Two years ago, TBS drew 7.9 million viewers for Mets-Cubs Game 1. Last year’s Indians-Blue Jays ALCS opener on TBS on a Friday night drew 4.1 million viewers. Cubs-Dodgers Game 1 gave TBS a primetime win among all cable nets on Saturday. Chicago drew an 18.1 local rating for the game, while L.A. drew an 11.0 local rating (Karp).
PLAY AT THE PLATE: In L.A., Tom Hoffarth noted Ron Darling while giving analysis of a controversial overturned call during TBS' Cubs-Dodgers NLCS Game 1 on Saturday night talked over play-by-play man Brian Anderson, "himself almost out of his mind" (DAILYNEWS.com, 10/15). In N.Y., Phil Mushnick writes a normally "trustworthy" Darling "seemed to treat the national audience dishonestly, to have us believe what he said, not what we saw" (N.Y. POST, 10/16).
YES MEN: On Long Island, Neil Best noted YES Network for the Yankees-Astros ALCS has "simulcast FS1’s postgame show" rather than have local N.Y. announcers, analysts and reporters "provide immediate postgame coverage." Only after the FS1 show "was over" would YES switch to its own postgame show. Fox is the "majority owner of YES, and the plan maximized exposure for its national show and avoided having its national and local postgame shows compete directly against one another" (NEWSDAY, 10/14).
MONEY FOR NOTHING: In N.Y., Bob Raissman reported the Yankees making the ALCS is "not going to help WFAN make money" on its radio deal with the team. A source said, “The playoff run will lead to CBS Radio (current owners of FAN) losing less money this season on the Yankees contract." The source added that instead of losing $5M on the deal this season, WFAN/CBS will lose "about" $3M. CBS/WFAN pays the Yankees $16-17M per year. During the postseason, there is "more opportunity for FAN to sell expanded pre- and postgame shows, as well as other shoulder programming" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/15).
