Comments on: Don’t get worked up about the television ratings

By: Some Tuesday Links

Some Tuesday Links — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 19:04:39 +0000

[...] Calcaterra from NBC Sports’ Hardball Talk says don’t worry about the NFL beating [...]

By: Joe Tetreault

Joe Tetreault — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 18:41:16 +0000

Left unsaid, the News Corp-Cablevision spat caused approximately 3 million potential viewers in NYC and Philly, who have the misfortune to continue to patronize Cablevision for television service, to have their friendly neighborhood Fox affiliate to be blacked out, making it unpossible (even for Ralphie Wiggum) to watch at home.

By: One more word about baseball vs. football ratings | HardballTalk

One more word about baseball vs. football ratings | HardballTalk — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 18:06:06 +0000

[...] on some of the responses I’ve received, I seem to have created an impression in my last post that I think the television ratings of football vs. baseball are misleading as to the sports’ [...]

By: Old Gator

Old Gator — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 17:49:14 +0000

Hey Len, where have you been? All recovered from that, what was it, hip or leg issue you had? I was wondering if maybe you typed with your toes or something, like Daniel Day Lewis….

By: sdelmonte

sdelmonte — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 17:23:46 +0000

What annoys me is that “The Worldwide Leader,” not having a vested interest in baseball ratings this time of year, has been leading with football news all weekend. The playoffs are third banana behind pro football and college football. And unless someone throws a no hitter tonight, they are bound to lead tomorrow with the MNF game.

By: yankeesfanlen

yankeesfanlen — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 17:20:23 +0000

Radio is even worse. Last Friday Tigers fan Rob couldn’t get Yanks-Rangers anywhere. The ESPN feed was pre-empted by a Pistons pre-season game. Detroit isn’t that parochial last I checked.And who can listen to basketball on radio without (or with) Marv Alpert?
On another side of this story, 26 towns are not participating, and everyone in football (except the Cowboys) still has a chance.

By: Chris Fiorentino

Chris Fiorentino — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 17:08:39 +0000

When the baseball game it on TBS and the football game is on FOX or CBS or NBC, then you’re right that it’s no big deal. But when both are on over-the-air TV, and the football game(regular season) doubles the baseball game(NLCS playoffs) nationally, it is a problem for baseball…or at least it should be. As many homes have FOX that have NBC, or the # is very close.

Why did more people watch football? Two big reasons…
* First, the gamblers are a HUGE part of the viewing audience, and anyone who says different has their head in the sand. And more people bet on football than all other sports COMBINED. Plus, the Sunday night game is where all the loser try to break even and all the winners try to double up.

* Second, and sorry to say this Craig, but more people like football in this country than like baseball. That’s just the facts. Football wins every single ratings war, every popularity poll and basically everything. Even college football beats the Saturday afternoon baseball games. That’s why baseball should be worried, but they are not…and as long as the networks keep on giving them billions, they won’t be worried.

But the big game is coming up on Oct 31st. We will see just how big the Saints-Steelers game crushes the World Series…especially if it is Phillies/Yankers. If the ratings are doubled again, baseball will have some serious soul-searching to do.

By: BC

BC — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 17:07:16 +0000

You’re also not factoring in the reality that about 100 times more people bet on footbal (whether its through a bookie, online, with squares, etc) than bet on baseball. And that baseball playoffs are more watered down – 7 games versus winner-take-all.