Ratings for Major League Baseball on NBC broadcasts
The Nielsen Ratings for the Game of the Week from 1966-1968 as well as the World Series fell by 10 and 19%, respectively. Only The All-Star Game nixed the seemingly growing view that baseball was too bland for a hip and inchoate age. Almost half (48%) in a 1964 Harris Poll named baseball as their favorite sport. Unfortunately, just 19% did a decade later. Part of the problem was that exclusivity began. Lindsey Nelson said "Think of the last decade. Mel, Buck, Diz-and one guy replaces 'em." As viewers grew tired, the Sporting News got so many unfavorable letters (mostly concerning their problems with Curt Gowdy) - Harry Caray wrote "As spectacle, baseball suffers on [TV]." He added by saying "The fan at the park [talk, drink, take Junior to the john] rarely notices the time span between pitches. Not to the same fan at home." Although not necessarily responsible, Gowdy was held accountable, becoming, as he did, more visible than even Dizzy Dean.
Regular season (Saturday afternoons: April-September)
Year |
Network |
Rating |
|---|---|---|
1987 |
NBC |
5.9 |
1988 |
NBC |
5.5 |
1989 |
NBC |
4.9 |
1990 |
CBS |
4.7 |
1991 |
CBS |
4.1 |
1992 |
CBS |
3.4 |
1993 |
CBS |
3.4 |
American League Championship Series
Year |
Network |
Match-up |
Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
1987 |
NBC |
Min vs. Det |
14.5 |
1988 |
ABC |
Oak vs. Bos |
11.0 |
1989 |
NBC |
Oak vs. Tor |
10.0 |
1990 |
CBS |
Oak vs. Bos |
11.1 |
1991 |
CBS |
Min vs. Tor |
9.2 |
1992 |
CBS |
Tor vs. Oak |
8.7 |
1993 |
CBS |
Tor vs. Chi |
10.7 |
National League Championship Series
Year |
Network |
Match-up |
Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
1987 |
NBC |
StL vs. SF |
15.4 |
1988 |
ABC |
LA vs. NY |
15.3 |
1989 |
NBC |
SF vs. Chi |
15.0 |
1990 |
CBS |
Cin vs. Pit |
12.0 |
1991 |
CBS |
Atl vs Pit |
13.9 |
1992 |
CBS |
Atl vs Pit |
12.1 |
1993 |
CBS |
Atl vs Phi |
N/A |
All-Star Game
Year |
Rating |
Share |
Households |
1967 |
25.6 |
50 |
14,050,000 |
1968 |
25.8 |
49 |
14,450,000 |
1969 |
15.1 |
42 |
8,610,000 |
1970 |
28.5 |
54 |
16,670,000 |
1971 |
27.0 |
50 |
16,230,000 |
1972 |
22.9 |
43 |
14,220,000 |
1973 |
23.8 |
45 |
15,420,000 |
1974 |
23.4 |
44 |
15,490,000 |
1975 |
21.5 |
41 |
14,730,000 |
1977 |
24.5 |
45 |
17,440,000 |
1979 |
24.4 |
45 |
18,180,000 |
1981 |
20.1 |
36 |
15,640,000 |
1983 |
21.5 |
39 |
17,910,000 |
1985 |
20.5 |
36 |
17,400,000 |
1987 |
18.2 |
37 |
15,910,000 |
1989 |
18.2 |
33 |
16,450,000 |
1994 |
15.7 |
28 |
14,790,000 |
1996 |
13.2 |
23 |
12,659,000 |
1998 |
13.3 |
25 |
13,034,000 |
2000 |
10.1 |
18 |
10,181,000 |
World Series
Year |
Rating |
Share |
1968 |
22.8 |
57 |
1969 |
22.4 |
58 |
1970 |
19.4 |
53 |
1971 |
24.2 |
59 |
1972 |
27.5 |
58 |
1973 |
30.7 |
57 |
1974 |
25.6 |
47 |
1975 |
29.0 |
53 |
1976 |
27.7 |
48 |
1978 |
32.7 |
56 |
1980 |
32.8 |
56 |
1982 |
28.0 |
49 |
1984 |
22.9 |
40 |
1986 |
28.6 |
46 |
1988 |
23.9 |
39 |
1995 |
19.5 |
33 |
1997 |
16.8 |
29 |
1999 |
16.0 |
26 |