ESPN, ESPN 2 See Substantial Ratings Gains For MLB Coverage

(From Sports Business Daily)

ESPN and ESPN2 have seen ratings gains of nearly 20% for MLB coverage this year, due in part to "more marquee teams on Sunday night and fewer primetime blackouts on Monday," according to JOHN DEMPSEY of DAILY VARIETY.

ESPN is averaging 1.4 million viewers for 52 games through July 2nd, an increase of 15% over 1.13 million at the same point in 2005.

ESPN2's viewership has jumped 21% for 18 games, to 923,000 average viewers this year from 764,000 in 2005.

ESPN Vice President/Programming and Acquisitions MIKE RYAN said, "Our new contract with MLB allows ESPN to increase the number of times we can carry a high-rated team like the Yankees, Cardinals and Red Sox on Sunday nights to a total of four."

Dempsey adds that Monday games have "received a boost thanks to another new clause -- the first two times a team is featured on Monday, the games will not be blacked out in the local market."

But ratings for MLB games on the league's other two national TV partners "are languishing somewhat this year."

FOX has seen a 4% drop in total viewership for its first six Saturday-afternoon games, while TBS is averaging 731,000 households through 37 Braves games, down 7% from last season.