FOX' MLB ALL-STAR GAME Overnight's Decline 6% From Last Year

(From Sports Business Daily)

FOX earned a 9.8/16 overnight NIELSEN RATING for its coverage of Tuesday night's MLB ALL-STAR GAME, down 5.8% from a 10.4/17 for last year's game. While the game earned a 22.5/33 in DETROIT, ST. LOUIS posted the highest local market rating with a 23.3/34.

FOX' BROADCAST of THE MLB ALL-STAR GAME last night was introduced with a taped segment by actor BILLY BOB THORNTON, who is starring in the upcoming release of PARAMOUNT's BAD NEWS BEARS. The intro included scenes from the movie and Thornton talking about THE BEARS and THE ALL-STAR GAME.

Just prior to the opening pitch, a taped segment featuring actor MICHAEL CHIKLIS, who stars in THE 20TH CENTURY FOX FILM FANTASTIC FOUR aired with scenes from the film and Chiklis relating the movie characters’ superpowers to the players in the game. Intermixed with scenes from the film were players such as the HOUSTON ASTROS Pitcher ROGER CLEMENS throwing flaming fastballs and SEATTLE MARINERS Right Fielder ICHIRO SUZUKI leaping to make a catch.

In DETROIT, GRAHAM, TOBY AND WHITALL report Thornton attended last night's game wearing a CARDINALS JERSEY with his name on the back. He had been in town since SUNDAY to promote his upcoming film.

In LOS ANGELES, MIKE PENNER calls FSN’s ALL-STAR GAME RED CARPET SHOW PRESENTED BY CHEVROLET, a "half-mocking, half-crocked pregame show." The ALL-STAR GAME MOMENTS WITH BILLY BOB THORNTON SEGMENT "played like a bad SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE skit within the bad SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE skit FSN's ALL STAR RED CARPET SPECIAL had become."

However, the reasons for THE RED CARPET SHOW "became clear when two interview segments were devoted to DOMINIC PURCELL and DAVID BOREANAZ," both of whom star in FOX shows.

In CHICAGO, TEDDY GREENSTEIN notes at one point during the game broadcast, after showing a home run leaderboard, FOX' JOE BUCK "named a company that produces antacid pills and said -- "Just one and the heartburn's done."

THE USA TODAY's HAL BODLEY -- "I'm surprised somebody didn't try to sell the opening pitch, the first home run or the winning hit. Making the game the No. 1 attraction should be the priority."

In LOS ANGELES, TONY JACKSON writes, "Seldom has there been an ALL-STAR GAME with less ambiance, less drama and less intrigue."

In PHILADELPHIA, TODD ZOLECKI adds, "This one was not exactly classic."

But in DETROIT, MICHAEL ROSENBERG writes, "Tuesday night, we saw again why this is the only ALL-STAR GAME worth taking seriously."