Friday’s start to the League Division Series drew 2.8 million viewers and a 1.9 rating. Both of these numbers are better than the start of last year’s Game 1 of the series between the same two teams. However, when compared to the opening game of the entire MLB Postseason, it pales in comparison. That’s way down from last year’s opening game between Cincinnati and Philadelphia which had a 2.7 rating and almost 4.31 million viewers.
Of course, the MLB Postseason started on a Tuesday last year as compared to a Friday, but that’s neither here nor there.
We have the TBS press release for you right here.
TBS ATTRACTS MORE THEN 2.8 MILLION TOTAL VIEWERS FOR NETWORK’S EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE OF ALDS GAME ONE OF RAYS-RANGERS SERIES
Network Scores Double-Digit Growth in Viewers, Ratings and Households Compared to Game One of 2010 Series Between These Two Teams
Tampa and Dallas Local Markets Deliver Double-Digit Growth in Household RatingsTBS’s exclusive coverage of Major League Baseball’s American League Division Series (ALDS) between the Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers on Friday, September 30, earned a 1.9 U.S. household rating and 2,866,000 total viewers according to Nielsen’s Fast Nationals. That is up 19% and 28% respectively versus the network’s coverage of Game 1 last year between these two teams. The Rays defeated the Rangers 9-0 to take a 1-0 lead in the best of five series.
Local Market Ratings
- Dallas-Fort Worth averaged 6.9 HH Rtg, +17% from 2010 Game 1 Texas at Tampa Bay series (5.9 HH Rtg).
- Tampa-Bay DMA averaged 12.1 HH Rtg, +26% from 2010 Game 1 Texas at Tampa Bay series (9.6 HH Rtg).
Sat., Oct. 1 games on TBS include:
- Arizona Diamondbacks @ Milwaukee Brewers, Game 1 (2:00 PM ET)
- St. Louis Cardinals @ Philadelphia Phillies, Game 1 (5:00 PM ET)
- Detroit Tigers @ New York Yankees, Game 1 (8:30 PM ET)
Sat., Oct. 1 game on TNT includes:
- Tampa Bay Rays @ Texas Rangers, Game 2 (7:00 PM ET)
TBS is the exclusive television home of all four of Major League Baseball’s League Division Series (LDS) and the National League Championship Series (NLCS).
Source: Based on Nielsen Media Research, Live + Same Day Fast Nationals. Day 1 of the 2011 MLB Postseason vs. Day 1 of the 2010 MLB Post Season. Texas Rangers at Tampa Bay Ray series Game 1 only. Local ratings from Arianna, Live + Same Day (09-30-11 vs. 10-06-11).
And after the jump break, we get Friday’s quotage from TBS.
And here’s the quotage.
Notes from MLB Postseason on TBS – September 30, 2011
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TBS MLB on Deck
Matt Winer (host) and Dennis Eckersley, Cal Ripken and David Wells (analysts)Eckersley on how the Red Sox collapse cost manager Terry Francona his job: “That’s how colossal this collapse was. They were the best team in baseball for probably three months. Something’s got to give but it’s kind of sad because Francona led them to the 2004 and 2007 Championship. But this team was absolutely flat and you can’t just blame it on Francona, it’s all about the players.”
TBS reporter Jaime Maggio interviewed Tampa Bay Rays’ third baseman Evan Longoria prior to the game
Longoria on the Rays’ late season push into the Postseason: “September was very magical for us. We’ve believed it all along and it doesn’t matter what anyone on the outside thinks. If the 25 guys in the clubhouse believe that we would be here from the beginning, it usually work out.”Eckersley on Rays’ rookie starting pitcher Matt Moore: “This kid has got lightning…he is the real deal and he’s going to come through.”
Wells on Texas Rangers’ Game #1 starting pitcher CJ Wilson: “(Wilson) came in (to the rotation) last year with Cliff Lee as his mentor and he has taken over that staff. He keyed off of Cliff Lee last year but he’s his own man this year. That’s how you make a name for yourself.”
Eckersley on Detroit Tigers’ ace and AL Cy Young candidate Justin Verlander: “(Verlander) has some experience and he wants it badly this time because he wants to finish off this great year he’s had. To call it great is putting it mildly, he’s been lights out. He dominates and makes hitters look silly.”
Wells on Verlander’s curveball: “If he starts his curveball at every right-hander, he’s jelly-leggin’ every single one of them. That’s how good that curveball is.”
Wells on Yankees’ starting pitcher CC Sabathia: “(Sabathia) is a grinder. He’s going to mix up his pitches…he’s not a pattern-pitcher.”
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Tampa Bay Rays (9) @ Texas Rangers (0) – Rays lead the series 1-0
Announcers: Don Orsillo (play-by-play) and Buck Martinez (analyst) with Jaime Maggio reportingMartinez on Rays’ veteran outfielder Johnny Damon: “He’s a real stabilizing veteran and he enjoys playing. Damon’s ability to play every day and contribute really means a lot to a manager who can just pencil his name in and know he’s going to be there day-in and day-out.”
Martinez on manager Terry Francona losing his job with the Red Sox: “The (Red Sox) just fell down around (Francona). They had injuries to their rotation. They had guys that didn’t perform well in September. As often is the case, the manager is the one who falls on the sword. They didn’t have a lot of things go their way this year. They got off to an awful start and then never got it going in September when they had the lead. I don’t think they had anyone stand up in that locker room. They had a bunch of veteran guys on that team that were supposed to be leaders and no one got a hold of that team and said, ‘We’ve got the lead and we’re not going to give it up.’”
Martinez on the Rays’ player development: “Right now, the Rays are the best organization at drafting and developing pitchers.”
Martinez on the Rays: “Tampa Bay is one of those teams that find a way to get it done. They don’t have any MVP candidates this year. (Manager) Joe Maddon has a very good coaching staff. They’ve got some speed and they’ll force the offense with that speed.”
Martinez< on how pitchers can control the amount of innings they throw: “There’s only one thing the pitcher can really control and that’s the innings he throws. You can’t control the wins or the losses. You can control the innings by throwing strikes and keep yourself in the game.”
TBS reporter Jaime Maggio interviewed Rays’ Game #1 winning pitcher Matt Moore following the game
Moore on his first Postseason appearance: “I made it look a little more calm than I was, especially early. In the first inning, I had some nerves and some adrenaline going. These guys made it really easy for me. It was just a matter of throwing strikes and getting out of the inning as fast as possible.”***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Game Break
Matt Winer (host) and Dennis Eckersley, Cal Ripken and David Wells (analysts)Eckersley on Terry Francona leaving the Red Sox: “I don’t know if he gave it enough thought. It’s a very emotional situation when you walk off that field for the last time. I don’t know if he was ready for this. Who knows where he goes from here?”
Ripken: “I just thought he felt bad. I don’t know what to make of it. You want to give yourself a little extra time to think about it. It feels much worse now than it probably really is. It clearly came from him…it was his decision.”
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Detroit Tigers (1) @ New York Yankees (1) – Game suspended in the second inning of play
Announcers: Brian Anderson (play-by-play) Ron Darling (analyst) and John Smoltz (analyst) with Tom Verducci reportingSmoltz on the Tigers’ lineup: “There are some strikeouts at the top of the (batting) order with the Tigers. If you can keep those guys off base, the rest of the order isn’t so potent.”
Darling on Yankees’ second baseman Robinson Cano: “In the beginning of the season, (Robinson) Cano was the fifth place hitter. Now he’s in the third hole because he’s become their best hitter, their best contact hitter and they’ve put a cocoon of great players around him to protect him.”
***GAME SUSPENDED DUE TO RAIN – SCHEDULED TO RESUME ON SAT., OCTOBER 1 AT 8:30 p.m. (ET) ON TBS***
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Game Break(Rain Delay)
Matt Winer (host) and Dennis Eckersley, Cal Ripken and David Wells (analysts)Ripken on Yankees’ shortstop Derek Jeter: “(Jeter) is the rock out there. He’s in first place and he’s the shortstop that plays for them and he carries them to the best record in the American League. He said he doesn’t like negativity. Playing in New York, that’s hard because everybody is talking about everything all the time…he remains positive and he keeps perspective which keeps him solid every single day.”
Eckersley on the Rays: “The stars are aligned for Tampa Bay…they are going to go a lot further than we thought.”
Eckersley on Milwaukee Brewers’ closer John Axford: “You can’t help someone in that position to know what it’s like. You have to go out there and feel that adrenaline. It’s all up to you. I give him credit too because (relief pitcher) K-Rod (Francisco Rodriguez) came in the middle of the season and could’ve interrupted all of this and it didn’t. (Axford) is very, very focused.”
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Inside MLB
Matt Winer (host) and Dennis Eckersley, Cal Ripken and David Wells (analysts)Ripken on Rays’ starting pitcher Matt Moore: “He has a lot of power but he has a lot of polish too. The change-up is really important for a power pitcher to keep the hitter honest. He certainly kept all of the hitters honest today.”
And that will do it.
