A second-half surge in TV viewership propelled the Philadelphia Phillies to the top spot among MLB’s local RSN ratings this season. The team ended the season with a 9.1 rating on Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, edging out the second place St. Louis Cardinals (9.0) on FS Midwest. That difference shrank considerably during the season’s final week, as the Cardinals set RSN ratings records while outlasting the Atlanta Braves for a wild card slot on the season’s final day. The Phillies, meanwhile, were coasting into the playoffs.
Two teams that have been in the news for the wrong reasons — the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are now in bankruptcy court, and the financially distressed New York Mets — have seen two of the biggest drops in MLB’s local TV ratings so far this season. Both major-market teams have faced high-profile ownership controversies that appear to be affecting local viewer interest this season. The Mets’ local ratings are down 29% from midseason last year; the Dodgers’ ratings are down 27%.
