As our historical ratings chart shows, the trend is definitely not baseball’s friend, but significant year to year fluctuations occur based on matchups, cities and number of games played.
In 2007, TBS carried 13 divisional series games and TNT carried 4, I averaged their results together.
2006-7 data is Live+SD, prior years are Live viewing.
You can find World Series data here.
National League Championship Series TV Ratings 1976-2007
| Year | Network | Telecasts | Viewers | Teams |
| 2007 | TBSC | 4 | 4,294,000 | Colorado Rockies/Arizona Diamondbacks |
| 2006 | FOX | 7 | 10,494,000 | ST. Louis Cardinals/ New York Mets |
| 2005 | FOX | 6 | 10,592,000 | Houston Astros/St. Louis Cardinals |
| 2004 | FOX | 7 | 11,836,000 | St. Louis Cardinals/Houston Astros |
| 2003 | FOX | 7 | 16,797,000 | Florida Marlins / Chicago Cubs |
| 2002 | FOX | 5 | 9,740,000 | San Francisco Giants/St. Louis Cardinals |
| 2001 | FOX | 5 | 10,893,000 | Arizona Diamondbacks/St. Louis Cardinals |
| 2000 | FOX | 6 | 10,373,000 | NY Mets / St. Louis Cardinals |
| 1999 | NBC | 6 | 14,281,000 | Atlanta Braves / NY Mets |
| 1998 | FOX | 6 | 14,290,000 | San Diego Padres / Atlanta Braves |
| 1997 | NBC | 6 | 12,013,000 | Florida Marlins / Atlanta Braves |
| 1996 | FOX | 7 | 12,501,000 | Atlanta Braves / St. Louis Cardinals |
| 1995 | ABC/NBC | 6 | 18,596,000 | Atlanta Braves / Cincinnati Reds |
| 1994 | Baseball Strike | |||
| 1993 | CBS | 6 | 17,890,000 | Philadelphia Phillies / Atlanta Braves |
| 1992 | CBS | 6 | 16,957,000 | Atlanta Braves / Pittsburgh Pirates |
| 1991 | CBS | 7 | 18,846,000 | Atlanta Braves / Pittsburgh Pirates |
| 1990 | CBS | 6 | 16,122,000 | Cincinnati Reds / Pittsburgh Pirates |
| 1989 | NBC | 5 | 20,867,000 | San Francisco Giants / Chicago Cubs |
| 1988 | ABC | 7 | 21,085,000 | Los Angeles Dodgers / NY Mets |
| 1987 | NBC | 7 | 21,425,000 | St. Louis Cardinals / San Francisco Giants |
| 1986 | ABC | 6 | 19,076,000 | NY Mets / Houston Astros |
| 1985 | NBC | 6 | 19,334,000 | St. Louis Cardinals / Los Angeles Dodgers |
| 1984 | ABC | 5 | 20,323,000 | San Diego Padres / Chicago Cubs |
| 1983 | NBC | 5 | 17,515,000 | Philadelphia Phillies / Los Angeles Dodgers |
| 1982 | ABC | 3 | 25,545,000 | St. Louis Cardinals / Atlanta Braves |
| 1981 | NBC | 5 | 15,418,000 | Los Angeles Dodgers / Montreal Expos |
| 1980 | ABC | 5 | 28,891,000 | Philadelphia Phillies / Houston Astros |
| 1979 | NBC | 3 | 18,560,000 | Pittsburgh Pirates / Cincinnati Reds |
| 1978 | ABC | 4 | 21,603,000 | Los Angeles Dodgers / Philadelphia Phillies |
| 1977 | NBC | 4 | 20,942,000 | Los Angeles Dodgers / Philadelphia Phillies |
| 1976 | ABC | 3 | 18,278,000 | Cincinnati Reds / Philadelphia Philles |
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American League Championship Series TV Ratings 1976-2007
| Year | Network | Telecasts | Viewers | Teams |
| 2007 | FOX | 7 | 11,524,000 | Boston Red Sox/Cleveland Indians |
| 2006 | FOX | 4 | 7,849,000 | Detroit Tigers/Oakland Athletics |
| 2005 | FOX | 5 | 10,677,000 | Chicago White Sox/Houston Astros |
| 2004 | FOX | 7 | 18,518,000 | Boston Red Sox /NY Yankees |
| 2003 | FOX | 7 | 16,439,000 | NY Yankees/Boston Red Sox |
| 2002 | FOX | 5 | 10,158,000 | Anahiem Angels/Minnesota Twins |
| 2001 | FOX | 5 | 11,478,000 | NY Yankes/Seattle Mariners |
| 2000 | NBC | 6 | 10,373,000 | NY Yankees / Seattle Mariners |
| 1999 | FOX | 5 | 12,787,000 | NY Yankees / Boston Red Sox |
| 1998 | NBC | 6 | 12,826,000 | NY Yankees / Cleveland Indians |
| 1997 | FOX | 6 | 11,324,000 | Cleveland Indians / Baltimore Orioles |
| 1996 | NBC | 5 | 11,263,000 | NY Yankees / Baltimore Orioles |
| 1995 | NBC/ABC | 6 | 18,596,000 | Cleveland Indians / Seattle Mariners |
| 1994 | Strike | |||
| 1993 | CBS | 6 | 14,458,000 | Toronto Blue Jays / Chicago White Sox |
| 1992 | CBS | 6 | 11,397,000 | Toronto Blue Jays / Oakland A’s |
| 1991 | CBS | 5 | 12,452,000 | Minnesota Twins / Toronto Blue Jays |
| 1990 | CBS | 4 | 15,062,000 | Oakland A’s / Boston Red Sox |
| 1989 | NBC | 5 | 13,161,000 | Oakland A’s / Toronto Blue Jays |
| 1988 | ABC | 4 | 14,815,000 | Oakland A’s / Boston Red Sox |
| 1987 | NBC | 5 | 19,483,000 | Minnesota Twins / Detroit Tigers |
| 1986 | ABC | 7 | 20,403,000 | Boston Red Sox / California Angels |
| 1985 | NBC | 7 | 20,088,000 | Kansas City Royals / Toronto Blue Jays |
| 1984 | ABC | 3 | 20,271,000 | Detroit Tigers / Kansas City Royals |
| 1983 | NBC | 4 | 15,164,000 | Baltimore Orioles / Chicago WhiteSox |
| 1982 | ABC | 5 | 21,947,000 | Milwaukee Brewers / California Angels |
| 1981 | NBC | 3 | 20,370,000 | NY Yankees / Oakland A’s |
| 1980 | ABC | 3 | 21,894,000 | Kansas City Royals / New York Yankees |
| 1979 | NBC | 4 | 19,238,000 | Baltimore Orioles / California Angels |
| 1978 | ABC | 4 | 21,607,000 | NY Yankees / Kansas City Royals |
| 1977 | NBC | 5 | 22,425,000 | NY Yankees / Kansas City Royals |
| 1976 | ABC | 5 | 21,935,000 | NY Yankees / Kansas City Royals |
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Nielsen TV Ratings Data: ©2008 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
One factor impacting these numbers is that starting in 2007 (I think) it moved from Fox having both LCS series to one being on Fox and one being on TBS. Last year National League was on TBS and American League on Fox, this year it is reversed. Due to that, we may see the NLCS go up and ALCS go down regardless of the matchups.
Correct, the network history of the baseball playoffs is particularly complicated, more so recently. I will get some historical tables up in this post later.
any idea how the games did yesterday?
and its interesting to see that in 2000 a yankees matchup did not better than a 2006 matchup between st.louis and new yorks other, loser team.
im sure fox is happy that they will get 2 big market teams in philly and la in the nlcs, though losing the cubs is killer.
Any idea of when the games started? I know I can’t stay awake past 10, and I’m not alone on the East Coast. That has to have an impact.
One thing to consider for 1995. That year, all games went on at the same time, but they were televised only on one network regionally. That accounts for the number of viewers being the same and the fact that the numbers are inflated. 18 million people were only watching one game and not the other.
Sean, we do have some data on game days and times, but I haven’t looked at it in detail. I’ll give it a look and see if anything jumps out.
Pete3, very interesting information, I just looked at our game by game data and you are correct and it seems like that was the *only* year that it happened.
It was the only year of the “Baseball Network” where ABC and NBC shared broadcasts but called the coverage the Baseball Network (same graphics, music, everything). All games were prime time (8:00) and took place at the same time with regional coverage determining what game you saw. Everyone complained (legitimately) that they could only watch one playoff game each day. If you were an Indians fan, and lived in Georgia, you never saw your Indians play a single playoff game on the same day the Braves played until they actuall met in the World Series.
I for one would love for all games to be shown at reasonable times with multiple networks showing them. These current start times are ridiculous.
Thanks, Bill. I love this site. I remember back in the 70s studying the TV guide, and then looking at the ratings charts in the paper. I guess it was early OCD checking in.