MLB Postseason viewership up 22% from 2014 through Division Series

This year’s MLB Postseason has shined both on and off the field. Through the end of both Division Series matchups, the 21 games aired so far have averaged 4.2 million viewers. That’s up 22% from 2014 and is the most-watched Postseason through the end of the Division Series since 2010.

Here are the totals for each series…
-Mets-Dodgers: averaged 5.33 million viewers (five games), peaked at 7.4 million for Game 5
-Cubs-Cardinals: averaged 5.49 million viewers (four games), peaked at 6.2 million for Game 4
-Royals-Astros: averaged 3.32 million viewers (four games), peaked at 5.9 million for Game 5
-Blue Jays-Rangers: averaged 2.33 million viewers (four games), peaked at 3.2 million for Game 5

In addition, the AL Wild Card game between the Astros and Yankees on ESPN drew 7.6 million viewers and the NL Wild Card game between the Cubs and Pirates on TBS drew 8.3 million viewers, the two highest audiences ever for Wild Card games. The NL Wild Card game was MLB’s most-watched game on cable since 2011, while the AL Wild Card game was ESPN’s most-watched MLB game since 2003.

FS1’s broadcast of Game 5 of the Astros-Royals ALDS drew 5.9 million viewers, the network’s most-watched broadcast ever. The NL Postseason is averaging 5.7 million viewers on TBS, a 47% jump from the AL Postseason on Turner last year. It’s also tied with Turner’s 2007 Postseason as the most-watched ever on the network. Fox’s coverage of the AL Postseason is averaging 2.80 million viewers on FS1, down 10% from last year.

Over on MLB Network, their two broadcasts (Blue Jays-Rangers Game 2 and Royals-Astros Game 3) averaged 1.62 million viewers, the highest total for the network since they started airing Postseason games in 2012.

North of the border, the Blue Jays-Rangers series averaged 3.64 million viewers, and each game set a record audience for SportsNet, peaking at 4.85 million viewers for Toronto’s Game 5 victory.

With a Cubs-Mets NLCS on tap for Turner, the Postseason as a whole will likely continue to rise – though Fox will likely be disappointed with the final numbers for their Blue Jays-Royals ALCS.