All-Star Game ratings: Figures never lie and …



I found it most amusing, but not totally surprising that depending on the source, a different spin was put on the television ratings of Tuesday night’s Major League Baseball All-Star Game, held in St. Louis’ Busch Stadium and won by the American League over the National League, 4-3.

Who should one believe? From this, I get that more people saw the game than any ASG in the last seven years. No, the ratings are down from 2008. No, the number of viewers was nearly identical to last year. No, they’re up…


From Major League Baseball:

The All-Star Game on FOX was seen by a total audience of 33.6 million viewers (those who saw all or part of the broadcast) marking the largest audience for an All-Star Game on that measure since 1999, according to Nielsen Media Research.  In terms of average viewership, the game drew 14.61 million viewers, which marks the largest audience for the game since the 2002 MLB All-Star Game.”

From the Associated Press:

The All-Star Game’s television ratings are down slightly from last year.

“Fox said Wednesday that the American League’s 4-3 win Tuesday night earned a 8.9 fast national rating and 15 share. That’s down 4 percent from the 9.3/16 for the first nine innings of the 15-inning marathon in 2008.

“Ratings were up 3 percent for the pregame show, which included President Barack Obama throwing out the first pitch.”

From Entertainment Weekly:

“America’s national pastime defeated America’s amateur talent pool Tuesday night, as 14.6 million viewers tuned in for the Major League Baseball All-Star Game on Fox. (Sports fans are certainly consistent: That’s nearly identical to last year’s audience.)”

From the New York Times:

“The Fox network’s time-zone adjusted estimates for the All Star Game last night show it drew an average of 14.6 million viewers, the most for the game in seven years.”