NEW YORK -- With its matchup of small-market, tradition-poor
teams, the National League Championship Series is setting
television ratings lows.
The Colorado Rockies' 11-inning 3-2 win over the Arizona
Diamondbacks in Game 2 on Friday night drew a 2.2 national rating,
less than half of the lowest-ever prime time LCS rating before this
season (4.9).
Game 1 on Thursday night, when more viewers traditionally watch
TV, had set the previous record low of 3.6.
Game 2 started at 10:12 p.m. EDT and ended at 2:46 a.m.
Ratings for Sunday night's Game 3 will be available Tuesday.
The ALCS, boasting the large-market, tradition-rich Red Sox,
drew a 4.8 rating for Boston's 10-3 victory in Game 1 over the
Cleveland Indians on Friday night. That is also below the
record-low before this year.
But ratings rebounded for the dramatic, 11-inning Game 2, even
though relatively few viewers typically watch TV on Saturday
nights. The Indians' 13-6 victory drew a 5.7.
The game ran from 8:17 p.m. to 1:32 a.m. The audience peaked at
12:30 a.m., with the 11-1:32 portion attracting higher ratings than
the 8:17-11 span.