MLB Broadcast Audience Rankings?

[Migrant Redbird]

During last night's Cardinals-Marlins broadcast, while discussing the abysmal attendance at Marlins games, the Fox announcers said that the Marlins ranked 7th in broadcast ratings. Now they weren't explicit, but I assume that was TV broadcasts and referred to the size of the TV audience (as opposed to audience share).

What I found astounding is that they said the Cardinals were second, behind the Mariners! Unless the Mariners have a huge TV audience in Japan that's being counted in the ratings, I find it difficult to believe they're anywhere near the top ten overall. I would also be surprised to learn that the Cardinals audience exceeds that of the Yankees and Red Sox on YES and NESN.

Does anyone know where the rankings are that the Fox broadcasters were citing?

[GeorgiaBird]

Not sure, but it doesn't jive with numbers discussed here a month ago or so RE: the Nats.

The biggest average households numbers, according to the story (which is based on Nielsen Media Research numbers) watch the Yankees (325,000), Red Sox (233,000) and Mets (204,000). The highest average ratings, according to the story, are found in Boston (9.75), St. Louis (8.04) and Minnesota (6.92).

More to the point, the lowest average household numbers, aside from the Nats, watch the Royals (28,000), Orioles (33,000) and Pirates (34,000). To repeat, the Nationals' number was 9,000, less than a third of the viewership in next-to-last Kansas City. The lowest average ratings, aside from the Nats, are found watching the Angels (1.24), Rangers (1.49) and Dodgers (1.57). To repeat, the Nationals' number was 0.39.

Source

[GeorgiaBird]

Here is some more numbers, from about the same time. Reading that real quick perhaps the Mariners number they are using is from last year? Or, more likely, just another example of team broadcasters talking without really knowing what they are saying.

Conversely, Liberty Sports-owned FSN Northwest endured the biggest first-half Nielsen decline. The disappointing Mariners, tied with the San Diego Padres for the second worst record in the game at 37-58 (the Nationals are 36-60), averaged a 4.73 mark in the Seattle DMA for the regional, a 43% drop from an 8.32 through the similar stage last season.

Source

[nadecir]

Well there goes the idea that MASN is going to help the Orioles compete with the Yankees and the Red Sox anytime soon.

The Yankees and the Red Sox average TV audience numbers dwarf the combined Orioles and Nationals numbers. The Nats are less than one-third of next to last Kansas City? You've got to be kidding me. The good news is that the National TV numbers have got to get better; they can't get much worse. And the Orioles aren't exactly keeping the fans glued to the tubes either.

[Migrant Redbird]

Here is some more numbers, from about the same time. Reading that real quick perhaps the Mariners number they are using is from last year? Or, more likely, just another example of team broadcasters talking without really knowing what they are saying.

My suspicion is that somehow their source factored in Japanese households watching the Mariners, which wouldn't be part of any Neilson ratings. However, that still doesn't explain the ranking of the Cardinals audience above those of the Yankees and Red Sox. The Yankees and Red Sox might have a minuscule foreign audience; I doubt if the Cardinals do.

I'm also a little skeptical that the Yankees and Red Sox audiences are that much larger than those of the Orioles and Nats. Bigger, yes. Orders of magnitude larger -- I doubt it -- even when factoring in all the Fox Games of the Week and the ESPN Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday night games.