ESPN: White Sox-Astros World Series lowest-rated ever

[nWo34Life]

Man, we really get zero respect...

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2005/news/story?id=2206044

NEW YORK -- The Chicago White Sox's first world championship in 88 years was also the lowest-rated World Series ever.

Chicago's four-game sweep of the Houston Astros averaged an 11.1 national rating with a 19 share on Fox. That's down about 7 percent from the previous low, an 11.9 with a 20 share for the 2002 World Series between the Anaheim Angels and the San Francisco Giants.

While the 2002 World Series, which went seven games, rated higher overall, it was only averaging an 11.0 through four games.

This year was a drop of almost 30 percent from last year's series, in which the Boston Red Sox swept the St. Louis Cardinals for their first title in 86 years. That had a 15.8 rating with a 25 share.

Wednesday night's 1-0 Chicago win had a 13.0 preliminary national rating with a 21 share. It was the highest-rated prime-time show on Fox since the final of "American Idol" in May, but still not enough to save the series from being the lowest-rated.

Despite rating so low in comparison to other World Series, the four games of this series were each the highest rated prime-time network programs on their respective nights.

[codell]

its not respect, its just reality

outside of Houston and south Texas, the Astros fan base is spread pretty thin .....same thing for the White Sox (i'd say more outside of Chicago are probably Cubs fan, if a fan of Chicago at all?)

[msn]

its not respect, its just reality
Precisely. The World Series ain't the SuperBowl anymore, and unless their team is in it the average viewers from most markets don't watch.

Part of the "problem", if it's a problem at all, is an inflated market. In the '70s and early '80s there just wasn't nearly as much to watch. Now our population is bigger and the availability of crap to watch on TV/Internet/rental is exponentially, and I mean exponentially, greater. With this kind of increase in stuff that's out there, coupled with the change in our cultural makeup as a nation (more and more diverse), no one should be surprised that these events garner less of a percentage. FOX should be encouraged that it was the highest rated TV event on each night, even if the percentages were less than the past. At least it didn't get beat out by a Friends re-run.

[arkoe]

We don't have the crazy bandwagon fans across the country that the Red Sox do. This shouldn't be a surprise.

[Svpernaut]

If the Red Sox, Cubs, Cardinals, Braves, Yankees or Dodgers aren't in it... the majority of baseball fans won't care. All of those teams have HUGE fanbases outside of their home towns.

[studogg]

and I still don't give a damn.

The Rockets final can be the lowest rated this year too. As long as its my team, I don't care if anyone else watches. I will.

[Svpernaut]

and I still don't give a damn.

The Rockets final can be the lowest rated this year too. As long as its my team, I don't care if anyone else watches. I will.

Pretty much.

[david_rocket]

I dont care, I was happy that my team get into the WS.

[bnb]

Funny thing is....

the games were damn good.

Other than the whole sweep thing -- every game was close, had drama, and was nervewracking to watch.

But all anyone will see is 4-0.

Too bad.

[r35352]

The sad truth is that baseball is basically a slowly dying sport. The younger generation doesn't care for baseball and consider it slow and boring. The older generation the grew up on baseball as "America's Pastime" are slowly dying off.

Attendance and TV viewership is down. And what really is bad is the huge disparity in revenues and payroll between teams. This means that there are so many teams (think Pirates, Royals, Brewers, Devil Rays, etc) that will never ever be competitive ever again in this day and age of $200M payrolls vs $30M payroll level of disparity! People in those places are rightly turned off by baseball as they can see it is a joke.

I think that eventually MLB will go through a crisis just like the NHL did last year in which the players and the league will suddenly be confronted with the reality that their sport is now no longer first rate, being in second tier under leagues like NFL, NASCAR, etc.

[TRIQSTER]

and I still don't give a damn.

The Rockets final can be the lowest rated this year too. As long as its my team, I don't care if anyone else watches. I will.


aint that the truth

[Mr. Brightside]

The sad truth is that baseball is basically a slowly dying sport. The younger generation doesn't care for baseball and consider it slow and boring. The older generation the grew up on baseball as "America's Pastime" are slowly dying off.




Say what? After football, I would say baseball is most popular amongst youths these days. As far as I checked, baby boomers haven't begun dying just as yet.

[Svpernaut]

The sad truth is that baseball is basically a slowly dying sport. The younger generation doesn't care for baseball and consider it slow and boring. The older generation the grew up on baseball as "America's Pastime" are slowly dying off.

Not true, baseball has seen record attendance numbers this season and is as strong as ever. TV ratings have been down for EVERY sport except the NFL over the last few years because increased channels, the internet and Tivo/DVR... the Superbowl is the only championship game that hasn't seen a real drop over the last few years, but the NBA Finals, NHL (not last year obviously), NCAA, the PGA and even Hollywood's numbers are all down. We live in a different society then we did 5 years ago, where people are turning to alternative means of entertainmen. The real money for baseball teams comes from the turnstyles and memorabilia and both are still thriving. The world series is only 4-7 games out of THOUSANDS played during the season.

[JunkyardDwg]

The younger generation doesn't care for baseball and consider it slow and boring.

I guarantee you the Astros and Sox won over a lot of young people with their incredible runs. A winning season can do that. That's how I became a die-hard fan (more than a decade ago).

I don't think baseball has anything to worry about. If I'm not mistaken it's as poplular as ever.

[Uprising]

who gives a damn. I don't care about ratings.

[madmax11]

I know I was having trouble watching towards the end!

[MadMax]

The sad truth is that baseball is basically a slowly dying sport. The younger generation doesn't care for baseball and consider it slow and boring. The older generation the grew up on baseball as "America's Pastime" are slowly dying off.

Attendance and TV viewership is down. And what really is bad is the huge disparity in revenues and payroll between teams. This means that there are so many teams (think Pirates, Royals, Brewers, Devil Rays, etc) that will never ever be competitive ever again in this day and age of $200M payrolls vs $30M payroll level of disparity! People in those places are rightly turned off by baseball as they can see it is a joke.

I think that eventually MLB will go through a crisis just like the NHL did last year in which the players and the league will suddenly be confronted with the reality that their sport is now no longer first rate, being in second tier under leagues like NFL, NASCAR, etc.

you could not be more wrong.

attendance was at record levels across the league this year. viewership was only down for the World Series.

no doubt they need revenue sharing...and they need a cap. like every other sport.