NFL regular season game gets higher tv ratings than MLB World Series game

• Manhattan Buckeye

  Supposedly its the first time it has happened:
  
  http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/football/nfl/11/01/nfl-mlb-ratings.ap/index.html?eref=sihp
  
  Weird, back in the 70's to mid-80's one couldn't imagine the NFL even thinking about scheduling a game during any of the MLB playoffs. Those were the days of 1 1:00 NFL game, 1 4:00 NFL game (maybe, sometimes that would be preempted), no Sunday night game and of course Howard Cosell on MNF.
• Fly4Fun

  

  I'm not surprised. Baseball just isn't producing a very good product and definitely shot themselves in the foot with the way they handled the steroid problem. The majority of people my age that I know generally care very little about MLB as opposed to the NFL. I'd even go as far to say that I know more people my age that watch NBA and even European soccer more than the MLB.
• Heretic

  

  Yeah. And with Sunday Night Football, you had the defending champs against the Steelers, who I'd have to believe are one of the NFL's biggest draws. It really seems that with baseball, unless you're the Yankees or Red Sox, you're second-tier, at least as far as big media goes, so when the WS winds up being San Fran vs. Texas, ratings are going to be sub-par.
  
  If the WS was Yankees-Philly again or Red Sox-St. Louis and the football game was something like Miami-Cincinnati, the WS would win the ratings war by probably a 2-to-1 margin.
• killer_ewok

  

  Not at all surprised.
• Timber

  We need a few more games... lol. Maybe we can extend the season so that the world Series can end on Christmas Eve, or New Years Eve... Oh yes, almost forgot... don't start the game until Midnight... That oughta do it.
• thedynasty1998

  

  There was a baseball game on last night?
• ts1227

  

  As the OP mentioned, it was also the first time in a long time (if ever... I don't remember what ESPN did when they had Sunday Night Football) that the NFL put on a Sunday Night game opposite the World Series, which is why it had never outrated it before.
  
  By no means is the NFL obligated to give the MLB their own special time, but they've always been good about it. Then Goodell came along.
• Writerbuckeye

  

  Good.
  
  The quicker MLB dies a painful death, the better. Maybe it can be resurrected in a better format.
• dazedconfused

  

  baseball is just a very boring sport to watch
• sleeper

  

  Baseball is boring. It's good for a first date though, even if you're boring, you're less boring than baseball, and you can take that to the bank.
• sjmvsfscs08

  That's actually very true sleeper haha
• Sage

  

  Really doe who gives a shit about baseball?
• Tiger2003

  

  This also had alot to due with who was playing in the World Series.
  
  Giants vs Rangers....
  
  But if it was the Phillies vs Yankees or something like the Braves vs Red Sox I think the rating would have been alot higher.
• jordo212000

  

  Selig did screw the pooch with the scheduling. Too many games during football games and as a baseball fan I really think they need to consider ending the season before Nov 1st. Start a week earlier and then schedule some double headers throughout the season. I love baseball, but the fact is that football is king in this country.
  
  ESPN isn't helping though. They really drive the Yanks-Sawks bandwagon. Seemingly the only time ESPN cares about baseball is when one of the NL/AL East teams are involved. Baseball is largely responsible for its demise, but ESPN isn't helping. ESPN is really pimping football right now and seems as if it is about to do to baseball what it did to hockey
• Mooney44Cards

  

  And baseball is laughing all the way to the bank. They don't get paid on ratings.
  
  Also, baseball needs to get back on a real network.
• Hb31187

  

  Doesnt the NFL bring in more money than MLB?
• jordo212000

  

  Mooney44Cards;544235 wrote:They don't get paid on ratings.

  
  actually they kind of do
• karen lotz

  

  jordo212000;543632 wrote:Selig did screw the pooch with the scheduling. Too many games during football games and as a baseball fan I really think they need to consider ending the season before Nov 1st. Start a week earlier and then schedule some double headers throughout the season. I love baseball, but the fact is that football is king in this country.

  
  
  In years past there was no Sunday night football game on when there was a World Series game scheduled. I think this was the first time it happened in some time. Also, I think the game 5 clincher drew higher ratings than Monday Night Football did this week.
• Mooney44Cards

  

  jordo212000;544260 wrote:actually they kind of do

  
  Not really. Fox pays about a half a billion dollars a year to air the World Series, one LCS, and the All-Star Game. MLB had already cashed the check, the ratings only effect Fox at that point. Just for reference, the ratings this year were about even with the Rays/Phillies series from 2 years ago.
  
  Comparing baseball ratings to football ratings is pointless. They are different sports with different followings. NFL fans tend to watch whether their team is playing or not. Baseball fans aren't that way. Lets quit pretending this is the demise of baseball. Baseball is doing just fine. I mean, the PIRATES are making money.
• trep14

  Count me among those who watched Steelers-Saints. I even like watching baseball but this years playoffs didn't really interest me for some reason once the Reds got knocked out. I watched Cliff Lee's start in game 5 vs the Rays and his start vs the Yankees, but he was the only guy I really tuned in for since he threw so many gems. Otherwise, I didn't really care a whole lot. Football season is more interesting imo.
• Non

  

  karen lotz;544261 wrote:Also, I think the game 5 clincher drew higher ratings than Monday Night Football did this week.

  That really surprised me.
  
  The Monday night football matchup was pretty good. Probably the game's most popular player in Manning and both teams usually score a lot.
  
  More homes have NBC than ESPN, which is a little bit of a factor, but I do think the Steelers equal big ratings.
• hoops23

  

  Non;544526 wrote:That really surprised me.
  
  The Monday night football matchup was pretty good. Probably the game's most popular player in Manning and both teams usually score a lot.
  
  More homes have NBC than ESPN, which is a little bit of a factor, but I do think the Steelers equal big ratings.

  
  Let's stop being foolish here.
  
  Do the Steelers have a lot of bandwagon fans? Yes, but they were also playing the DEFENDING SUPER BOWL champs who hoist a VERY popular team themselves.
• Thunder70

  

  Shorten the season. WS should be over by Oct. 1st. The product is too watered down...
• jordo212000

  

  Thunder70;545745 wrote:Shorten the season. WS should be over by Oct. 1st. The product is too watered down...

  
  I doubt you see them ever play less than 162 games, especially when they are making money. (The Pirates made a nice profit the past couple of years while they have been horrible). I could see them starting it a week earlier though. Like I've said before, they could help themselves out a lot by scheduling day-night double headers throughout the season.
• Art Modell

  

  Pittsburgh Steelers are America's Team. Make no doubt about it. You haters can deny it but facts are facts.