St. Louis Rises to the Top of All-Star, Half Season MLB Viewing

Nielsen Press — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:40:23 +0000

Whether it was a cameo appearance by the Commander-In-Chief, the intrigue of perhaps the game’s best player performing in front of his home crowd, or the simple fact that it came right down to the final out, this year’s MLB All-Star Game was able to deliver the viewers.

An average of 14.6 million people watched the Midsummer Classic on Tuesday, the largest audience since the infamous 2002 game in Milwaukee that ended in a tie. Ratings in the game’s host city of St. Louis were especially high with 37% of all TV households tuning in to the game. It was the largest rating for the game’s host city since 2001 when 38.4% of Seattle households tuned in as the game was played in the Emerald City.

MLB HALF-SEASON RATINGS REVIEW
At MLB’s halfway mark, St. Louis again proved its passion for baseball, ranking behind only Boston as the top-rated professional baseball market. While an average of 9.5 percent of Boston households tuned in to Red Sox games so far this season, the Cardinals drew an impressive 7.4 percent of St. Louis homes.

TOP HALF-SEASON MLB MARKET RATINGS

RANK	Team	1st Half Rating
1	Boston Red Sox	9.5
2	St. Louis Cardinals	7.4
3	Milwaukee Brewers	7.1
4	Minnesota Twins	6.4
5	Philadelphia Phillies	6.2
6	Detroit Tigers	6.0
7	Seattle Mariners	5.7
8	Chicago Cubs	5.2
9	New York Yankees	4.8
10	Cincinnati Reds	4.5
source: The Nielsen Company 2009

But when looking at percent growth from this time last year, several surprising teams move to the top:

-The Texas Rangers, with one of baseball’s most exciting lineups, are enjoying a 50% increase in viewership in Dallas, the most year-over-year growth for any MLB team.

-The San Francisco Giants lead the NL wildcard thanks to superior pitching, contributing to 27% higher ratings. When Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum takes the mound, their average rating jumps an additional 9%.

-The Kansas City Royals’ ratings are up 23% despite trailing in the AL Central. The Royals’ ratings increase an additional 8% when Sports Illustrated cover boy Zack Greinke starts.

-The league-leading Los Angeles Dodgers showed no ill effects from the absence of Manny Ramirez, both on the field and on TV, where ratings have increased 20%, creating more ratings distance between the Angels, their in-market rivals.

-The Chicago White Sox are up 12% over 2008, and 27% over 2007, as they continue to close the gap on their cross town rival’s rating dominance.

BIGGEST GAIN IN MLB MARKET FIRST HALF RATINGS, 2008 VS. 2009

RANK	Team	2009 1st Half Rating	% Change vs. 2008 1st Half
1	Texas Rangers	2.7	50%
2	San Francisco Giants	3.3	27%
3	Kansas City Royals	3.7	23%
4	Seattle Mariners	5.7	21%
5	Washington Nationals	0.6	20%
6	Los Angeles Dodgers	2.2	16%
7	Chicago White Sox	2.8	12%
8	Milwaukee Brewers	7.1	11%
9	Pittsburgh Pirates	3.3	10%
10	Atlanta Braves	3.8	9%
source: The Nielsen Company

SPORTS WRAP: NHL Heads to Montreal for “Match Des Étoiles”

Nielsen Press — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 12:52:45 +0000

The NHL’s Eastern and Western Conference All-Stars will rendezvous in Montreal this weekend, commemorating the 100th year of Les Habs, the Montreal Canadiens franchise.

US TV Ratings for last year’s All-Star Game on VERSUS were up 17%, proving the NHL’s decision to move the game the first Sunday sans NFL in 5 months a wise one.

Viewership for the Skills Competition and Young Stars Game, airing on Saturday Night, was also up 26% compared to 2007.

This season, the NHL on VERSUS is up an impressive 17%, continuing hockey’s ratings renaissance.

Season	# of Telecasts YTD	Avg Viewers P2+
2008-9	31	317,000
2007-8	29	266,000
2006-7	32	200,000
Source: © 2009 The Nielsen Company

Nielsen Wire » all-star games

St. Louis Rises to the Top of All-Star, Half Season MLB Viewing

SPORTS WRAP: NHL Heads to Montreal for “Match Des Étoiles”