Despite people writing doom and gloom over ESPN’s Monday Night Football beating TBS’ coverage of the ALCS last night, Turner Sports appears happy over the numbers it has received for the first three games of the series. Last night, the rating was a 5.2 with 8.2 million viewers. That’s up 29% from TBS’ coverage of the NLCS so don’t hang your head that football is beating baseball. MLB has its core of viewers and is doing well in the younger demographics as well.
Here’s the press release and we’ll also throw in some quotage from Game 2 here as well.
TBS’ Exclusive MLB ALCS Coverage of Game #3 of Rangers/YankeesDelivers a 5.2 US Rating and 8.2 Million Total ViewersTBS’ LCS Coverage up +29% and +33% in U.S. Ratings and Total Viewers over 2009TBS’ exclusive coverage of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) continues to deliver for the network with the pivotal Game #3 matchup between the Texas Rangers @ New York Yankees earning a 5.2 U.S. Rating and over 8.2 million total viewers. To date, TBS’s coverage of the ALCS is up significantly over the network’s NLCS (Dodgers/Phillies) coverage from last year, delivering a. 4.5 U.S. Rating (+29%) and 7,347,000 million total viewers (+33%).Through three games of the ALCS, TBS is delivering double digit growth in all key demos vs. the network’s coverage of the 2009 NLCS, including:
- US HH Ratings – +29% (4.5 vs. 3.5 US Rating)
- Total Viewers – +33% (7,347,000 vs. 5,543,000)
- A18-34: +26% (1,385,000 vs. 1,100,000)
- A18-49: +30% (3,053,000 vs. 2,357,000)
- A25-54: +40% (3,318,000 vs. 2,378,000
- M18-34: +32% (966,000 vs. 733,000)
- M18-49: +38% (2,147,000 vs. 1,555,000)
- M25-54: +50% (2,328,000 vs. 1,550,000)
TBS’s coverage of Game #3 of the Texas Rangers at New York Yankees at delivered a 14.5 rating in the New York market and a 22.1 rating in the Dallas Fort-Worth market.The MLB Postseason on TBS continues Tuesday (Oct. 18) beginning at 7:30 p.m. (ET) with TBS MLB on Deck, followed by Game #4 of Rangers/Yankees at 8 p.m. (ET). Inside MLB will conclude TBS’s coverage, following the completion of the game.Source: Based on Nielsen Media Research Live + Same Day data stream. Fast National data (10-16-2010 to 10-18-10) compared to 2009 NLCS 5 game average on TBS (10-15-09 to 10-18-09). Local metered market ratings based on Arianna data (10-18-10).
After the jump, TBS’ quotage from last night’s Game 3 of the ALCS.
And here’s the quotes from last night.
Notes from MLB Postseason on TBS – ALCS Game #3 – October 18, 2010 TBS’ exclusive coverage of the ALCS continues on Tue., October 19 beginning at 7:30 p.m. (ET) with TBS MLB on Deck followed by the Texas Rangers @ New York Yankees (Game #4) at 8 p.m. (ET). The night will conclude with the post-game show Inside MLB.***** ***** ***** ***** *****TBS MLB On-DeckMatt Winer (host), Dennis Eckersley, Cal Ripken and David Wells (analysts) from Yankee StadiumWells on his memories of playing for the New York Yankees: “Stepping into old Yankee Stadium, I grew up as a kid being a (San Diego) Padres and Yankees fan and then coming here and pitching. (I) heard all of these horror stories about what it was like (to play in New York) and then coming in and having good success and getting (the fans) all on your side, that was the start of it. Actually playing here on that field is just a memorable time of my career.”Eckersley on playing in New York: “I don’t miss (old Yankee Stadium) at all. I gave up five bombs there one day (and former Yankees pitcher) Catfish Hunter was giving them up too. When I come to New York, I get uptight, I just do and I’m not even playing. When you come to New York, it’s exciting. They know about Postseason baseball, they know about the World Series and it’s a pleasure to be here.”Eckersley on Texas Rangers Game #3 starting pitcher Cliff Lee: “(Lee) is a big money pitcher and he’s proved it in the Postseason.”Wells on New York Yankees Game #3 starting pitcher Andy Pettitte: “Andy Pettitte is a proven winner (at Yankee Stadium) and in any ballpark especially in the Postseason. This guy just goes out there with conviction every pitch. What a big heart this guy has. When he gets on that mound, he’s a demon out there. He wants to go out there and win. He’s got winning in his blood.”TBS reporter Craig Sager interviewed Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler prior to the gameKinsler on how the Rangers are clicking as a team: “It’s pretty simple with the guys I have around me and the guys that are creating offensive chances for me. The guys behind me (in the lineup) are driving me in. It’s pretty simple when everyone is clicking.”Kinsler on how playing behind starting pitcher Cliff Lee effects the defense: “It’s a positive effect on us defensively. We’re able to know where he is going to throw the ball. He throws it where he wants probably better than anyone in the league and he works fast. When you’re on the defensive side of the ball, there’s nothing else you can ask for.”Ripken on Yankees’ starting pitcher Andy Pettitte’s pick-off move: “When you’re over there (at first base), you’re really worried about (Pettitte’s) pick-off move. You want to get a secondary (lead) and you can’t. If you take your eyes off him for one minute, the ball will be over at first base and you’re out. You might see guys trying to steal third base on Andy but you won’t see too many (steal second) unless they go on first move.”Eckersley on Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus: “We’re talking about him like he’s Rickey Henderson. He’s been thrown out 15 times (and) he’s only got 30 bags (stolen bases).”***** ***** ***** ***** *****Game #3: New York Yankees (0) @ Texas Rangers (8) – Rangers lead the series 2-1Announcers: Ernie Johnson (play-by-play), Ron Darling (analyst) and John Smoltz (analyst) with Craig Sager reportingDarling on hitters in the American League East tendency to work the pitch count: “It’s almost like in the AL East, it’s in every hitter’s DNA to work the pitcher and take a lot of pitches.”Smoltz on his pitcher’s mentality at Yankee Stadium with the short porch in right field: “One thing I’ve got to quit doing because my job depends on it. I’ve got to quit covering my eyes when (the ball is hit) to right field.”Smoltz on how Cliff Lee makes almost every pitch look like a strike: “What makes it so tough for the hitters and probably for the umpires is when (Lee) misses, with the exception of his curveball, everything looks like a strike. He is just missing and his curveball will be the one that he can really make look like a ball if he can get an aggressive hitter to swing at it. Everything else is right around the corners of the plate.”Smoltz on Cliff Lee getting better as the game moves along: “You’re always looking for reasons during a game when you’re facing a guy who is obviously on top of his game. One of the things that’s not in the Yankees’ favor is (Lee) gets tougher and tougher the second and third time through the (batting) order.”Smoltz on how Cliff Lee neutralizes any advantages the Yankees might have in the series: “This is the first time the buzz has been ‘uh-oh.’ The Yankees have always had the advantage and still have the advantage in the series based on their history. But (Lee) kind of neutralizes it a little bit on the mound.”TBS’ Johnson, Darling and Smoltz interviewed Rangers manager Ron Washington during the gameWashington on the Rangers never being too comfortable with the lead: “We’re never comfortable until we get that 27th out. We just have to keep battling Andy (Pettitte) and try to get some more runs. We feel good because we’ve got Cliff out there and he doesn’t make too many mistakes. (The Yankees) are really dangerous so the more runs we can get the better we’ll be. It’s a long ways to go and the fight isn’t over yet.”Darling on Cliff Lee’s mechanics: “You spend your whole career trying to get your (pitching) mechanics in a way that you repeat your motion over and over. Lee is about as good as it gets (at doing that).Darling on Cliff Lee’s pitch location: “Watching Cliff Lee pitch, it’s almost like he has the ball on a string and can put it anywhere he wants to.”Smoltz on Yankees potential Game #4 starting pitcher A.J. Burnett, who has struggled this season: “You’ve got to feel for (Burnett) because he wants to get out there and show that he can not only quiet the Rangers’ bats but (his) critics.”Darling on the importance of pitching a solid Postseason game: “One good Postseason start can erase an entire year.”Smoltz on who the Yankees should start in Game #4 between A.J. Burnett and CC Sabathia: “There’s going to be a lot of pressure put on Joe (Girardi) based on what happened with A.J. Burnett (during the regular season). I think if (you’re thinking) conventionally, you need to turn the tables back and go with CC Sabathia. The unknown is does it set back those other (starting pitchers) to a point where it gives you an adverse chance after CC. But what New Yorkers are going to want is CC Sabathia two more times (in the ALCS).”TBS reporter Craig Sager interviewed Rangers Game #3 winning pitcher Cliff Lee following the gameLee on his Game #3 performance: “It was a pretty good game but I’m not satisfied with that. We still have a lot of work to do here. It was a lot of fun to come to New York to win (Game #3). Hopefully we can come out here tomorrow and pick up where we left off.”***** ***** ***** ***** *****Inside MLBWiner, Eckersley, Ripken and Wells from Yankee StadiumEckersley on the Rangers getting runs early in Game #3 for starting pitcher Cliff Lee: “That’s so big for Cliff Lee when you’re a pitcher like him. Getting two runs to work with seems like a hundred (runs).”Eckersley on Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte’s performance in Game #3: “(Pettitte) was pitch for pitch (with Cliff Lee). He was painting just as much as Lee, I really thought so. Meanwhile, he’s 39-years-old and I was surprised, I wasn’t sure if he could come up with a game like this. (But) he did and he should’ve won the ballgame. We’d be talking about him all night.”TBS reporter Craig Sager interviewed Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton following the gameHamilton on playing with Cliff Lee: “It’s unbelievable. He’s done it all year and just the way he competes on the mound. If the umpire isn’t calling what he thinks is a strike, he’ll adapt his game to throw where the umpire’s (strike) zone is. It’s amazing to watch from center field and how he does that.”Hamilton on if the Rangers are proving that they are a better team than the Yankees: “I hope that we are showing a lot of people that we are a team that can do it all. We can hit, pitch and play defense. If we do that, we’ll be fine. I’m not going to say anything of the sort about us being better than the Yankees when we’re coming into their house. Any time we can take the crowd out of it, that’s what we did in Tampa (during the ALDS). That’s what we tried to do tonight.”Eckersley on who he thinks will win the NLCS: “I think Philly is going to win (the NLCS) and I think it’s going to go further than five games. It’s going to be just like (the ALCS) and go six or seven games. Whoever pitches the best, wins.”Ripken on Yankees manager Joe Girardi starting A.J. Burnett in Game #4: “Joe (Girardi) has put himself in this position where he has to use A.J. (Burnett in Game #4). I think the way it’s all been set up, he almost has to go through with the rotation the way he planned it.”Wells: “Well, he’d better, I would think, otherwise, he’s going to open a can of worms with A.J. because when you tell a guy he’s going to start, he’s prepared mentally to start (that game).”
A few more releases are on the way. Keep it here.
