Fox's WS Game 2 Lowest Rated Series Game Ever

[Bschneider]

Fox's WS Game 2 Lowest Rated Series Game Ever

The delivery was down nearly 25 percent versus the comparable Red Sox-Rockies contest of the 2007 Series, which drew 17 million viewers

By Anthony Crupi, MediaWeek.com, Oct. 24, 2008

Game Two of the World Series delivered 12.8 million viewers and an 8.1 household share Friday night (Oct. 23), as the Tampa Bay Rays evened the score with a 4-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.

While the second game of this year’s Fall Classic gave Fox its best Thursday night rating in seven months, the delivery was down nearly 25 percent versus the comparable Red Sox-Rockies contest of the 2007 Series, which drew 17 million viewers (11.1 HH).

Last night’s game now stands as the least-viewed in World Series history, falling short of the previous low-water mark set by Game One of the 2006 Series, which drew approximately 6,000 more viewers (12.84 million).

Through the first two games, the Phillies-Rays showcase is averaging 13.7 million viewers and an 8.7 HH rating, down 19 percent from just under 17 million a year ago.

On the home front, Tampa-St. Petersburg out-ranked all local markets with a 31.3/47, while Philadelphia notched a 30.7/44.

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/content_...32976c22f71376 (http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/content_display/news/national-broadcast/e3id4724c3e60d478c98f32976c22f71376)

[skottey]

Fox's WS Game 2 Lowest Rated Series Game Ever

The delivery was down nearly 25 percent versus the comparable Red Sox-Rockies contest of the 2007 Series, which drew 17 million viewers

By Anthony Crupi, MediaWeek.com, Oct. 24, 2008

Game Two of the World Series delivered 12.8 million viewers and an 8.1 household share Friday night (Oct. 23), as the Tampa Bay Rays evened the score with a 4-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.

While the second game of this year’s Fall Classic gave Fox its best Thursday night rating in seven months, the delivery was down nearly 25 percent versus the comparable Red Sox-Rockies contest of the 2007 Series, which drew 17 million viewers (11.1 HH).

Last night’s game now stands as the least-viewed in World Series history, falling short of the previous low-water mark set by Game One of the 2006 Series, which drew approximately 6,000 more viewers (12.84 million).

Through the first two games, the Phillies-Rays showcase is averaging 13.7 million viewers and an 8.7 HH rating, down 19 percent from just under 17 million a year ago.

On the home front, Tampa-St. Petersburg out-ranked all local markets with a 31.3/47, while Philadelphia notched a 30.7/44.

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/content_...32976c22f71376 (http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/content_display/news/national-broadcast/e3id4724c3e60d478c98f32976c22f71376)

On the flip side of the equation, I personally never cared for baseball and other than the one or two live Rays games at the Trop a year that I usually attend, had never watched a baseball game on TV. I think I have watched every Rays game during the last two weeks of the regular season and playoffs this year. I am getting into it. I am learning the players and understanding the professional terminology and rules (somewhat different than the little league of my youth). I have a new appreciation of the game and proud to be a bandwagoner like much of the community.

I couldn't care less what the national TV ratings are. It is pretty sad that the league and Fox want to see the Red Sox, Yankees, Dodgers, White Sox, and any other team from the biggest TV markets EVERY year. That shows that it is all about the MONEY to them and not the love of the game. I think that selling out is a major reason that baseball has been losing a hold on America over the last few decades. It is no longer "America's game" and never has been for me or my family. I think the money aspect has hurt the game for sure.

As a hockey and football fan for decades, I hate dynasties like the Patriots, Cowboys and Steelers. The Yankees of baseball take the cake. Who wants to see the same team winning year after year? Some new blood is nice on occasion. But when it is all about money and advertising sales, the league does!

I especially appreciate that despite all this division about politics with the upcoming election, and the economic turmoil across the globe, that we at least have the Rays to bring our community together here in Tampa Bay. I just get an overall sense of unity with my neighbors and our community. We have something to get excited about during these otherwise crappy times. This team has won from the heart and not just from $$$$ thrown into big salaries. Second lowest payroll in the league and look at them go! Even if they don't beat the Phillies, they are winners in my book. They may just have made a fan out of this otherwise baseball loathing citizen of the Tampa Bay community.

Go Rays!

[bdraw]

I've tried to enjoy the Rays success, but I really just don't care. I've only been to one live Rays game about 3 years ago, and I fell asleep. I've never made it through an entire game on TV either. Even in the past two world series games, I've started watching them from the beginning and I get bored and watch a movie or something off my Media Center. I have been watching the last few innings, but have fallen asleep during all but one of them.

I guess no matter how hard I try, I'm not a baseball fan.

[StevenA]

I'll bet game 3 gets even lower ratings. With the rain delay it didn't start until after 10:00 pm and ended just before 2:00 am. It should have been postponed rather than played that late. It was an exciting, close and well played game (until the bottom of the ninth when the Rays defense collapsed). But with those hours I doubt if many on the east coast were watching outside of the Tampa Bay and Philadelphia markets. When are the networks and MLB going to realize that if they want to build a fan base they need to start the games earlier on weeknights and go back to day games on weekends.

[Jason]

They were probably trying to work the start times to get as close to Prime Time as possible on the west coast. If the game started at 5pm Eastern, for example, it's only 2:00pm Pacific, and the game would be over before PT, so Fox would end up putting on some stupid reruns (like the ones they played during the rain delay), and end up with virtually a zero share in the big western markets.

Not sure if that strategy works, but it makes it tough for us on the east coast. I end up falling asleep before the end of the games. But the TV is on...so in some small way, I'm helping the ratings :)

[pilotbob]

Not sure if that strategy works, but it makes it tough for us on the east coast. I end up falling asleep before the end of the games. But the TV is on...so in some small way, I'm helping the ratings :)

I don't think this matters... unless you are a Neilson family.

BOb

[bdraw]

I end up falling asleep before the end of the games.

And I thought I was the only one who fell asleep during the World series.