Wall Street Journal: World Series Ratings as Anemic as Detroit's Offense

[Ernie Mccracken]

Giants relief pitcher Sergio Romo and catcher Buster Posey celebrate winning the World Series.


A four-game sweep and no transcendent storyline made the 2012 World Series the lowest-rated ever, according to Fox Sports. While the World Series remains one of television's more popular shows, the 7.6 rating for the San Francisco Giants' triumph over the Detroit Tigers was 10% lower than the previous record-low rating of 8.4 in 2008 and 2010. The Game 4 rating was 8.9. "The Game 4 number was a hint of what might have been," said Michael Mulvihill, senior vice president at Fox Sports.

[v1y]

Baseball is so boring gambling on it doesn't make it exciting.

I've bet on women's handball and been at the edge of my seat.

[Inkwell77]

sign of things to come.

Execs overpaying for baseball. Fox stuck with Baseball and the Champions League.

NBC just took over the Premier League rights. Smart investment from NBC

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2224599/Premier-League-signs-year-deal-NBC.html

[soul786]

Baseball is so boring gambling on it doesn't make it exciting.

I've bet on women's handball and been at the edge of my seat.

Can't watch baseball for the life of me. Too slow

[Ernie Mccracken]

• Cut the season in half
• Allow metal bats
• Eliminate DH
• Institute salary cap
• Automate strike zone calling
• Get a pitch clock going to speed the game up
• Worst 5 MLB teams go to AAA at the end of the season. Best 5 AAA teams move up.
• Increase availability of booze. Fine any team who tries to get away with selling $9 piss water.

[InTheDrink]

baseball ratings and attendance are up significantly throughout the year

the world series sucked....oh well

[iQon]

• Cut the season in half
• Allow metal bats
• Eliminate DH
• Institute salary cap
• Automate strike zone calling
• Get a pitch clock going to speed the game up
• Worst 5 MLB teams go to AAA at the end of the season. Best 5 AAA teams move up.
• Increase availability of booze. Fine any team who tries to get away with selling $9 piss water.

...The scary part is, you really think this made sense.

Allow "metal" bats for more runs, I assume... but eliminate the DH?
Put pitchers on a clock, so we can see 200 steals per game, I assume?
Promote teams... from AAA?
Relegate teams... to AAA?

Why stop there? Why not suggest tee-ball stands?

[CanuckG]

Baseball is a dying sport. Boring as fukk.

[BigDeem5]

Canuck and I are young studs we dont give a fuk about baseball. We got broads to chase.

[MeatWad]

I thought I was miserable watching the series because I lost a chunk on Detroit. But I guess most of America had the same sentiment, hopefully without losing the money I did. I bet underdogs for over six months only to play the favs and lose in the playoffs.

[Ernie Mccracken]

I want to see a faster game with more action and players who have incentive to win. Games that actually mean something in a league where more than half a dozen teams can be competitive. And if you're an awful team who makes no real effort to compete, get out (looking at you, pirates). Field a competitive squad or the entire team is sent down.

More dingers. More base running. Faster pace. Real competition. Or you can watch the sport die with the old people who are the only ones left watching.

...The scary part is, you really think this made sense.

Allow "metal" bats for more runs, I assume... but eliminate the DH?
Put pitchers on a clock, so we can see 200 steals per game, I assume?
Promote teams... from AAA?
Relegate teams... to AAA?

Why stop there? Why not suggest tee-ball stands?

[InTheDrink]

I want to see a faster game with more action and players who have incentive to win. Games that actually mean something in a league where more than half a dozen teams can be competitive. And if you're an awful team who makes no real effort to compete, get out (looking at you, pirates). Field a competitive squad or the entire team is sent down.

More dingers. More base running. Faster pace. Real competition. Or you can watch the sport die with the old people who are the only ones left watching.

isn't it funny how these myths can be perpetuated?

is 1.5 million more tickets being sold than last year significant?

why mess around with facts right?

http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/current_attendance.shtml

[CanuckG]

Marlins won't be like that next year hell they have the worst fanbase just cause of a new stadium people decided to check it out

Overall MLB is not as popular as it use to be

[NYSportsGuy210]

Mets need to re-sign David Wright. Trade Johan Santana for a stud reliever and a solid hitting LF. Bench that bum Jason Bay for his final year keep Duda in right and sign Victorino to play CF.

[Ernie Mccracken]

isn't it funny how these myths can be perpetuated?

is 1.5 million more tickets being sold than last year significant?

Why are TV ratings plummeting?

[KingJD31]

Hopefully nbc bought it cheap cause soccer will never be a big sport here

sign of things to come.

Execs overpaying for baseball. Fox stuck with Baseball and the Champions League.

NBC just took over the Champions League rights. Smart investment from NBC

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...-deal-NBC.html

[CanuckG]

Soccer has a lot of potential to be big in the USA.....already is in a lot of the major cities.

[Chimneyfish]

Why are TV ratings plummeting?

Increasing media fragmentization probably. Televised events in general don't get the same ratings they got back when there were only 8 channels to watch. It doesn't seem to be hurting the Super Bowl though.

[InTheDrink]

Why are TV ratings plummeting?

cool photo from last year during hurricane irene

ever heard of mlbtv? those arent measured in traditional tv ratings

mlb has the best online broadcast presence WITHOUT A DOUBT and it's not close

[thetrinity]

world series was awful. game moves at a snails pace in the playoffs.

[Chimneyfish]

Our grandfathers' generation would kick the asses of anyone in here saying that baseball needs to be changed in order to make it more exciting. It's not boring; you just have to be knowledgeable of the subtle intricacies of the game that are constantly taking place in order to fully appreciate them. If you need a sport with showy slam dunks by NBA players who have their own fashion lines in order to compete for your attention between Farmville or whatever you're doing, then don't bother with baseball. But don't knock a sport that you don't understand as well as you think you do.

[Ernie Mccracken]

Our grandfathers' generation would kick the asses of anyone in here saying that baseball needs to be changed in order to make it more exciting. It's not boring; you just have to be knowledgeable of the subtle intricacies of the game that are constantly taking place in order to fully appreciate them. If you need a sport with showy slam dunks by NBA players who have their own fashion lines in order to compete for your attention between Farmville or whatever you're doing, then don't bother with baseball. But don't knock a sport that you don't understand as well as you think you do.

My grandfather punched the clock for 40 hrs/week at his steady job, rarely left the confines of his small town, and supported a family of 5 on a single income. He had time, disposable income, and little aside from fishing and church to compete for his attention. We don't live in that world anymore. The masses are broke, strapped for time, and have lots of other attractions competing for their attention.

The NBA changes rules every year to be more palatable (I look forward to seeing someone fined for flopping). Hockey instituted a shootout and opened up scoring after the lockout. College football shortened games a few years back. NFL is now a passing league with less brain damage.

Every one of these was made in response to fan feedback, and every time, a bunch of blowhards decried it as "the end of the sport for true fans!" Of course we all know how it turns out; we wonder what took so long to change in the first place. Baseball can either change with the times like every other successful sport, or slowly fade into obscurity while blaming fans for their failure.

[CollegeOverUnder]

oh please it wasnt the Giants fault that they shit on the big bats of Detroit ! Detroit didnt know how to put up a fight so the ratings dropped

[Fry]

last years series was very exciting, this year it was boring.

[InTheDrink]

last years series was very exciting, this year it was boring.

from the last day of the season until the end of the world series it was terrific

there werent any real great races this year comparable to last year

it takes a simple mind to equate that with the game is failing

what i will admit is that the new wild card system (who says they don't change the game?) is fukkin stupid

also next year there is an interleague game just about every day from beginning to end....i dont agree with that either but apparently some want it to happen

a new instant replay system absolutely needs to happen....otherwise the game is healthy

[neverstoppers23]

• Cut the season in half
• Allow metal bats
• Eliminate DH
• Institute salary cap
• Automate strike zone calling
• Get a pitch clock going to speed the game up
• Worst 5 MLB teams go to AAA at the end of the season. Best 5 AAA teams move up.

i disagree with everything on that list.

[KingJD31]

people in this country thinks baseball is boring, what do you think they will think about soccer? They will watch for a month or 2 just to see the best players in the world and then they will turn it off after the non stop passing

Soccer has a lot of potential to be big in the USA.....already is in a lot of the major cities.

[Ernie Mccracken]

i disagree with everything on that list.

Congratulations.

[face]

if you don't understand/like pitching you don't like baseball. baseball is mostly about getting people out. lots of people like it, lots of people hate it. it does not have to change anything or compete with fukkin football. it is what it is.

playoffs were super boring though, especially the yankees/orioles games and the yankees/detroit games. the best games were the cincinnatti/giants ones, and they put those on real early when no one was home.

[onacloud]

people in this country thinks baseball is boring, what do you think they will think about soccer? They will watch for a month or 2 just to see the best players in the world and then they will turn it off after the non stop passing

Soccer is the fastest growing sport in the US

Dont talk about something you have NO idea about

Soccer is the greatest sport in the world and it was only a matter of time for it to boom here check the attendance at MLS games

[lunchbawks]

no shit ratings were low it was a 4-0 sweep on the road, the series was over before game 4

[KingJD31]

Interesting, maybe when they raise the min salary from 30k to 300 k I will believe you. You know there are janitors making more money then some mls players right?

Soccer is the fastest growing sport in the US

Dont talk about something you have NO idea about

Soccer is the greatest sport in the world and it was only a matter of time for it to boom here check the attendance at MLS games

[KingJD31]

Soccer will never be bigger then baseball

[CanuckG]

Salaries aren't as big obviously but they will keep growing. http://www.mlsplayers.org/files/Octo...phabetical.pdf

Attendances have been great though some MLS teams get more to the games than their MLB teams on avg.

[Chimneyfish]

Why do you guys think the World Series sucked? We got a matchup of both MVPs, a tough duel by two of the best pitching staffs in the game, a bunch of impressive defensive plays, a guy adding his name to an exclusive and legendary record by hitting three homers in one game. All you guys who think that baseball is boring are always saying that the season needs to be shortened in order to make it more interesting, so why are you complaining about a short World Series? As far as story lines go- it's hard to beat the story of the Giants winning six straight elimination games to come back and win it all (for only the second time in history). Every game of the championship series was an upset- what more can you ask for?