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Fox’s coverage of Game 1 of the World Series between the Texas Rangers and the San Francisco Giants (4.7 rating in 18-49) was down 25% from last year’s Phillies/Yankees matchup, but that was to be expected with the most popular baseball team, the Yankees, out this year. The game was on par with ith the opening game of the most recent non-Yankees World Series in 2008 (4.8). Fox won the night in 18-49 and total viewers.
Just like its family-friendly Monday lineup posted week-to-week gains against the monster Monday NFL game on ESPN, the network’s Wednesday comedy block last night logged ratings rises. The Halloween-themed quartet was led by Modern Family (5.1/13 in 18-49, up 9% from last week’s fast national; 13.1 million viewers), which hit a series high in total viewers and matched its series high in 18-49 from earlier this fall. At 8 PM, The Middle (2.8/9, up 8%; 9.4 million) logged its most-watched telecast and its second highest 18-49 delivery ever. Freshman Better with You (2.5/7) had a nice 19% post-full season-pickup bounce to match a series demo high. Cougar Town (3.3/9, up 6%) posted its best numbers since the season premiere. ABC’s boisterous ratings performance ended at 10 PM where recently cancelled legal drama The Whole Truth (1.2/4) was down 8%, falling sharply from the first to the second half-hour.
Just like on Monday against football, CBS’ more male-skewing Wednesday lineup felt the effect of the World Series with moderate ratings declines. Survivor: Nicaragua (3.4/10) was down 6%, Criminal Minds (3.4/9) down 8% and The Defenders (2.1/6), down 9%.
NBC’s Undercovers (1.4/4) was down a tenth from last week and remarkably ranked as NBC’s highest-rated program of the night as the network aired Law & Order: SVU (1.3/3) and Law & Order: LA (1.2/4) repeats.
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I am a woman in the 18-49 demo and last night was a perfect storm for ABC. Here in the Midwest, the CW’s Wed slate of shows Top Model and Hellcats was pre-empted for NBA basketball. So I watched all 4 eps of comedy shows on ABC. I’ve loved Mod Family from the beginning but I had never seen any of the other shows. I thought the Middle was really good, though being a midwesterner I don’t find the show folksy, it just reminds me of everyone I know. I only got through half of Cougar Town before I switched to a rerun of House Hunters.
Glad to see “The Middle” getting some attention. One of the few shows I’m watching these days.
NBC made no friends by having all the listings claim that the 2 L&Os would be original – which is what the Wednesday 2-hr L&O block is meant to be – and, then, rerunning the season opener of SVU (for at least the 4th time) and the LOLA episode from only 2 weeks ago (that already got multiple airings on cable and NBC Saturday night). I bet NBC’s 1st quarter hours at 9 and 10pm showed huge drop-off…not because the episodes were bad, which they weren’t, but because it was such a slap in the face to viewers who bothered to tune in. Now that I know they are dishonest with their listings/scheduling, I’m much less likely to try and catch the 9-11p Wed block. Dumb move.
If you watched last week, both shows said, “in 2 weeks” and showed the previews from those episodes. My DirecTV guide also showed that they were reruns, so not sure where you’re getting the idea that NBC tried to fool people into thinking they were new episodes.
Couldnt this also have a lot to do with the millions of Cablevision subscribers not able to watch the game because they dont have Fox? Also, yah, who cares about two middle market teams anyways.
Yeah.
According to Nielsen’s estimates, the Dallas-Fort Worth is the Fifth largest television market in the country, and San Francisco is number Six. If numbers five and six in terms of market size are “mid-market”, then baseball truly is in a lot of trouble.
Baseball’s problem is that ESPN focuses so much time and energy covering ONLY Boston and New York. If the Giants or Rangers had as much air time as the Yankees and Red Sox, there wouldn’t be this perception of those teams as somehow undeserving World Series participants.
The NFL, on the other hand, markets itself as a NATIONAL game. Last year’s Super Bowl featured two of the smallest markets in the entire league in Indianapolis and New Orleans. Yet, 106 million people watched that game.
No, it has more to do with the fact that neither the Rangers nor the Giants (since they moved to San Francisco) have been very successful franchises. Consequently, they lack sizable fanbases and have little television appeal. If these teams are able to become postseason fixtures over the next few years and make another World Series or two, they’ll increase their national profile and become much more appealing from a ratings standpoint, much like how Philadelphia has emerged as a premier franchise in recent years after years of mediocrity. It’s all a matter of the audiences being familiar with the participating teams, which in this World Series they are not.
You’re exactly right Pete. Watching ESPN is like watching a channel that caters exclusively to New York and the east coast in general. As a matter of fact, baseball and the media has so ignored the west coast for so long, many fans have lost interest in the game. I usually watch the series no matter who is in it though, just because its the World Series. If you’re a sports fan, you find a story to attach to it and you watch it. Unfortunately there are not many true sports fans out there, only the ones who are interested in whether the Yankees will win their 4758489373839 World Series title.
I believe Dish Network falls in there too. I listened to the game on the radio but some local Los Angeles advertising states Dish Network customers are in the cold as well.
I poop on the Yankees anyway. They are like the nasty Grand dad that rules from the grave. They are dead but they continue to make life miserable for anybody still alive.
The Middle keeps getting better and better. Each member of the cast is terrific….our favorite is Eden Sher’s Sue Heck. This young actress is a comic revelation.
No Yankees means THANK YOU BASEBALL GOD!
lynie – unless you looked at nbc.com…the tv listings you used to see if they were new are provided by someone else…prob either tv guide or the bankrupt and sloppy tribune company.
Isn’t there a federal law that the Yankees must be in the World Series??
Null and Void now that The Boss is gone….
Actually, the Boss is not happy that the Yankees are not in the World Series. The Series was to be a memorial to the memory of George Steinbrenner, and it would have ended with the Yankees sweeping in four games. Instead, the game is violated just like a girl going dressed to the nines in a dress that includes a petticoat slip to rags that are perfect for the gym. That, ladies and gentlemen, is your New York Yankees.
Probably. Who gives a fuck anyways whether the Yankees are in the series or not? I love the media people, and especially ones from New York who think everyone around the country loves the Yankees. News Flash to New York media: Everyone else hates your teams. I know that’s hard to believe, but its true. They’re almost as delusional as Cowboys fans who think they’re still “America’s Team”…
If you’re a baseball fan, you’ll watch the World Series. Because it’s the goddamn WORLD SERIES. If you’re a poser bandwagaon fan because you think Derek Jeter is “like totally hawt”, than please, just go away. /rant over
The Middle is currently my favorite show on tv! I’m from the northeast, but I find the characters so relatable! It’s good to see a show with clean content for the whole family that is actually well-made! It’s a seldom combination!
Everyone must watch this show! If Eden Sher (Sue Sue Heck) & Heaton don’t get Emmy nods, I’ll be devastated!