Birds On Brink, As TBS Garners 6M ALCS Game 3 Viewers

The Baltimore Orioles are on the wrong end of the score line, but TBS continues to register Nielsen success with its coverage of the American League Championship Series.

TBS scored a 3.8 U.S. household rating that translated into 6 million viewers on average with its Oct. 14 telecast of Game 3 during which the Kansas City Royals, continuing their defensive wizadry this time courtesy of Mike Moustakas (pictured), pushed the O's to the edge of extinction with their 2-1 triumph.

The deliveries marked a 23% ratings rise from the 3.1 for the corresponding game of the 2013  National League Championship Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers, while the audience grew 25% from the 4.8 million, according to Nielsen data.

Tuesday night’s ALCS Game 3 peaked with a 4.5 rating and 7.19 million viewers in the 10:15 p.m. (ET) quarter hour. Based on metered market ratings, TBS's LACS coverage gave it the night across all of cable television.

Through the three Royals wins, TBS has averaged a 3.3 rating and 5.35 million viewers, up 6% and 13%, respectively from the 3.1 and 4.75 million for Cards-Dodgers a year ago.

The battle of mid-sized market teams -- KC is 31st, while the Baltimore DMA ranks 26th among Nielsen's metered markets -- continues on Oct. 15 at 4 p.m. with the O's looking to stave off elimination.

§  TBS’ exclusive coverage of the ALCS is averaging 5,349,000 total viewers through three games, up 13% over an average of 4,746,000 total viewers for the network’s comparable LCS game telecasts last year (Dodgers/Cardinals).  This year’s corresponding 3.3 U.S. HH rating is up 6% over a 3.1 U.S. HH rating to date in 2013. Additionally, the 2014 ALCS is driving growth across all key demos including an 11% increase in People 18-49 vs. 2013. 

TBS’s exclusive coverage of the American League Championship Series Game 3 between the Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals delivered an average of 6.0 million total viewers, up 25% over the network’s comparable LCS telecast last year (Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis – 4.8 million total viewers).  This year’s corresponding 3.8 U.S. HH rating is up 23% over a 3.1 U.S. HH rating in 2013.

·      Kansas City and Baltimore represent the two smallest combined market sizes in ALCS history.

·      Kansas City ranks 31st among the 56 metered markets, last among all A.L. teams with 923,000 households. Baltimore ranks 26th among the metered markets and 14th in the America League, only slightly ahead of the Royals.

·      This year’s market sizes for the ALCS are 70% smaller than the network’s comparable coverage of the 2013 NLCS (Los Angeles vs. St. Louis) based on available television households — 2,015,910 vs. 6,750,660.

·      L.A. alone is nearly triple the size of the combined markets this year (5,523,800 vs. 2,015,910) or 63% larger when compared with 2014.

Last night’s ALCS Game 3 peaked with a 4.5 U.S. HH rating and 7,187,000 total viewers from 10:15-10:30 p.m. ET.  Based on metered market ratings, TBS won the night across all of cable television.