Comments on: Boston Red Sox Force Game 7: Good News for TBS, Perhaps Great News for Fox

By: David4

David4 — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 04:44:53 +0000

Yep, Fox might as well show House reruns, they would probably do better.

By: Julia

Julia — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 03:42:13 +0000

No great news for FOX.

By: Robert Seidman

Robert Seidman — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 18:08:59 +0000

Dean, yeah the Seahawks stink this year, but I think even on a national level the SNF game will probably outdraw the game 7. I wouldn’t feel that way if the Rays/Sox were playing on Fox — again, last year’s game 7 vs. Cleveland on Fox outdrew SNF by ~6 million. Game sevens always have some extra ratings juice, and I’d guess this will be TBS’ highest-rated game, but doubt it will come anywhere near last year’s numbers on Fox.

I’m sure there will be a lot of channel changing going on in Tampa Bay! Hopefully Nielsen will publish the local Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg market results on how each event did locally.

By: denverdean

denverdean — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 18:00:18 +0000

What’s interesting tonight is SNF features TB hosting the Seahawks. How random is that? I’m willing to bet that football far outdraws baseball in TB. (It’s a crappy game nationally, though.) I’ll be watching baseball. Game Sevens are great. Love the graphic watching the Boston ratings soar during the comeback. For those who doubt Nielsen….

By: Robert Seidman

Robert Seidman — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 17:58:27 +0000

Ray, the official game time is 8:07p EDT, but yes, TBS (at least barring more first inning technical difficulties!).

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/schedule/ps.jsp

By: Ray

Ray — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 17:48:33 +0000

p.s.: Don’t hold it against me…just the name’s Ray – Go Sox!

By: Ray

Ray — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 17:02:22 +0000

Hey everyone… I’ve checked the listings and haven’t found the game anywhere tonight yet.

TBS @ 8pm ET right? (so I can set my divver to “Men In Black” with no worries?)

Thanks!
Ray

By: Ann

Ann — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 17:00:16 +0000

Gotcha. That makes perfect sense.

By: Robert Seidman

Robert Seidman — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 16:35:35 +0000

Ann, yes. The teams playing matter significantly for the ratings, and not just how big the local markets are, but how much national appeal the teams have. The Red Sox have a large fan base nationwide. Philly is actually a bigger local market than Boston, but the best possible outcome ratings-wise would likely have been Boston vs. Chicago Cubs in the World Series. Our feeling is that if Tampa Bay wins the ALCS and heads to the World Series the match-up would likely produce record low World Series ratings.

By: Ann

Ann — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 16:28:16 +0000

Robert, pardon my ignorance, but do you mean it’s good news for FOX if Boston wins, as they are a big ratings draw than Tampa?

By: Robert Seidman

Robert Seidman — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 15:37:04 +0000

Danny, that’s not that nitpicky. I was just parroting back the TBS announcers who were (obviously in retrospect) only referring to when the Red Sox had lost three games in a best of seven series. It’s still an impressive accomplishment, but the distinction is worth noting. I’ve updated the post.

By: Danny Liss

Danny Liss — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 14:37:49 +0000

A nitpicky point: The Red Sox lost game 3 of the 2005 ALDS against Chicago, so they’re “only” 9-10 in elimination games with Francona as a manager.

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 06:37:10 +0000

shawn, last year’s Red Sox/Rockies series averaged 17.16 million. A Sox/Phillies series would do better. How much better would be very dependent on how many games it went. The Cardinals/Tigers series in 2006 averaged 15.81 million. A Rays/Phillies series would be a lock to do worse than that. Which would make it the lowest rated World Series ever.

By: David4

David4 — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 06:00:55 +0000

I love the Red Sox because the are the Red Sox.

You just hate them because your team is a loser and we, for once, are the winners.

By: Julia

Julia — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 04:51:45 +0000

I love the Red Sox because Yankees fans hate them.

By: Robert Seidman

Robert Seidman — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 04:34:00 +0000

Shawn, I’ll watch either way, but it is unquestionable that the Red Sox are a much larger national ratings draw than the Rays. Philly/Tampa would likely produce record low World Series ratings.

By: shawn

shawn — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 04:18:30 +0000

i hate the Red Sox, but i must say Mlb needs the ratings at this point. A Red Sox/Phillies series would do good. I think it would average between 14-19 million viewers per game. That would be gold for fox and mlb. On the other hand a Rays/Philli series would most be a ratings bust. Robert, what do u think?

By: Robert Seidman

Robert Seidman — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 04:12:45 +0000

it did a 4.7 household rating and averaged 7.21 million viewers. And Boston fans tuned in en masse as they mounted the game 5 comeback

By: shawn

shawn — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 04:05:35 +0000

what did game 5 do in the ratings?