MLB RSN Ratings Down 4% From Last Year As Big Markets Drop

RSN ratings for the first half of the MLB season were "down 4% compared to last season, as some of the league’s biggest markets saw significant drops," according to John Ourand in this week's SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL. Notably, Rangers games on FS Southwest and Giants games on NBC Sports Bay Area "dropped 31%" through the All-Star break. The Padres and Phillies are two of the 13 U.S.-based teams that "posted RSN ratings increases" with the additions of Manny Machado and Bryce Harper. Fifteen teams "saw their RSN ratings decrease; one, the A’s, posted ratings that were flat with last season," and the Blue Jays’ viewership numbers "were not available." The Yankees and Red Sox also had a "rough first half." Even with one of MLB’s best records, Yankees games on YES Network are "surprisingly down 26% this season." The Red Sox, with "lackluster play all season," have "seen ratings drop 14% on NESN." MLB’s RSN ratings performance "mirrors the ratings from national networks, where ESPN’s 'Sunday Night Baseball' and Fox are essentially flat and FS1 is down 17%." ESPN is "averaging 1.55 million viewers for 'Sunday Night Baseball,' on par with the 1.56 million viewers at the same point last season." Fox is "averaging 2.5 million viewers for MLB telecasts on the broadcast network, also on par with last year’s 2.49 million viewers" (SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL, 7/22 issue). MLB Network is seeing a 12% drop in viewership for its non-exclusive game coverage this season. The cable network does get two Yankees-Red Sox games this week (Thursday, Friday), which should help drive up numbers (Austin Karp, THE DAILY).

Download the MLB RSN Ratings Chart

LOOKING LOCAL: In Pittsburgh, Joshua Axelrod noted Pirates games on AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh averaged a 5.38 rating, good for the sixth-best mark in the league." That figure "represents a 15% increase in local viewership from this time last season." The increased local ratings "might have something to do with the excitement the team generated" partially due to All-Star 1B Josh Bell’s first-half (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 7/23). In Chicago, Satchel Price noted the White Sox are averaging a 1.18 on NBC Sports Chicago this year, up 41%, but that is "still 27th among U.S.-based MLB franchises" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 7/23). In Cleveland, Kevin Kleps noted Indians broadcasts on SportsTime Ohio are averaging a 7.23 rating in July, up 3% from a 7.0 in July '18. That is also 22% ahead of the season average of 5.93. Even more, the last six games have "produced five of the 11 highest ratings of the year" (CRAIN'S CLEVELAND BUSINESS, 7/23).