Tuesday's Cubs TV Ratings

[Alfonso Soriano]

http://chicago.comcastsportsnet.com/view_content_0p.asp?ID=54835

Chicago, IL (August 29, 2007) – Comcast SportsNet Chicago, the television home for the most comprehensive coverage of the Chicago Cubs, delivered its highest Cubs ratings ever last evening -- an 8.05 household rating for its live coverage of the Cubs NL Central battle against the Milwaukee Brewers. Highlighted by the Cubs huge come-from-behind win, Comcast SportsNet drew over 278,000 households for the entire game and scored a 10.4 peak rating during the 9:30 PM quarter-hour (over 359,000 households). The network’s previous Cubs season high occurred earlier this month on August 1 (Cubs vs. Philadelphia), which averaged a 6.89 household rating. Source for ratings information is provided by Nielsen Media Research.

 

Comcast SportsNet was also the #1-highest rated television network in the Chicago market last night during the time period of 7:00-11:00 PM, which included the entire length of the game, plus Cubs Post Game Live and Land Rover SportsNite.

 

In addition to last night’s highest Cubs rating to date for “households,” CSN also garnered the network’s best delivery ever for all key demo categories, including: Men 18-34 (6.05), Men 18-49 (5.24), Men 25-54 (6.18), Adults 18-34 (4.27), Adults 18-49 (3.86) and Adults 25-54 (4.33).

[BigSlick]

http://chicago.comcastsportsnet.com/view_content_0p.asp?ID=54835

Chicago, IL (August 29, 2007) – Comcast SportsNet Chicago, the television home for the most comprehensive coverage of the Chicago Cubs, delivered its highest Cubs ratings ever last evening -- an 8.05 household rating for its live coverage of the Cubs NL Central battle against the Milwaukee Brewers. Highlighted by the Cubs huge come-from-behind win, Comcast SportsNet drew over 278,000 households for the entire game and scored a 10.4 peak rating during the 9:30 PM quarter-hour (over 359,000 households). The network’s previous Cubs season high occurred earlier this month on August 1 (Cubs vs. Philadelphia), which averaged a 6.89 household rating. Source for ratings information is provided by Nielsen Media Research.

 

Comcast SportsNet was also the #1-highest rated television network in the Chicago market last night during the time period of 7:00-11:00 PM, which included the entire length of the game, plus Cubs Post Game Live and Land Rover SportsNite.

 

In addition to last night’s highest Cubs rating to date for “households,” CSN also garnered the network’s best delivery ever for all key demo categories, including: Men 18-34 (6.05), Men 18-49 (5.24), Men 25-54 (6.18), Adults 18-34 (4.27), Adults 18-49 (3.86) and Adults 25-54 (4.33).

 

Imagine the ratings if it was on WGN

[Garwilly]

 

Imagine the ratings if it was on WGN

 

 

I seriously doubt putting the game on WGN would help Comcast's ratings. :lol:

[inari]

And now we've gotta hear how this compares to the Sox highest rated game.

[Derwood]

ratings are dumb. discuss.

[jersey cubs fan]

ratings are dumb. discuss.

 

I definitely feel the whole system is highly flawed.

[Derwood]

ratings are dumb. discuss.

 

I definitely feel the whole system is highly flawed.

 

DVR has ruined what little meaning ratings ever had

[ConstableRabbit]

ratings are dumb. discuss.

 

I definitely feel the whole system is highly flawed.

 

DVR has ruined what little meaning ratings ever had

 

Would DVR really affect the ratings of a sporting event -- something very few people would want to watch on a delay?

[C.C.]

ratings are dumb. discuss.

 

I definitely feel the whole system is highly flawed.

 

DVR has ruined what little meaning ratings ever had

 

I wouldn't say ratings have "little" meaning. Networks rely on it for Advertisement money...

[jersey cubs fan]

ratings are dumb. discuss.

 

I definitely feel the whole system is highly flawed.

 

DVR has ruined what little meaning ratings ever had

 

Would DVR really affect the ratings of a sporting event -- something very few people would want to watch on a delay?

 

I watch Cubs games on delay all the time now. Not 2 days later or anything, but it's a lot easier to go grab a bite with the wife or take the dog for a walk, and then come back and watch the game while skimming through commercials.

[jersey cubs fan]

ratings are dumb. discuss.

 

I definitely feel the whole system is highly flawed.

 

DVR has ruined what little meaning ratings ever had

 

I wouldn't say ratings have "little" meaning. Networks rely on it for Advertisement money...

 

They are used, but I still don't see how they could possibly be accurate.

[Derwood]

ratings are dumb. discuss.

 

I definitely feel the whole system is highly flawed.

 

DVR has ruined what little meaning ratings ever had

 

Would DVR really affect the ratings of a sporting event -- something very few people would want to watch on a delay?

 

I watch Cubs games on delay all the time now. Not 2 days later or anything, but it's a lot easier to go grab a bite with the wife or take the dog for a walk, and then come back and watch the game while skimming through commercials.

 

me too. if the game starts at 7 or 8, i record it and start watching after the kids are in bed. in fact, i watch almost everything on delay for that very reason (kids)

[SouthSideRyan]

It'd probably be cheaper to just get rid of the kids.

[ConstableRabbit]

ratings are dumb. discuss.

 

I definitely feel the whole system is highly flawed.

 

DVR has ruined what little meaning ratings ever had

 

Would DVR really affect the ratings of a sporting event -- something very few people would want to watch on a delay?

 

I watch Cubs games on delay all the time now. Not 2 days later or anything, but it's a lot easier to go grab a bite with the wife or take the dog for a walk, and then come back and watch the game while skimming through commercials.

 

me too. if the game starts at 7 or 8, i record it and start watching after the kids are in bed. in fact, i watch almost everything on delay for that very reason (kids)

 

Wow, you guys are really patient. I tried to watch a DVR'd game once and just HAD to go online and see the score!

[KyHen]

I think hardcore fans would tape sporting events, but I question how many "average" ones would.

[WindyCity]

ratings are dumb. discuss.

 

I definitely feel the whole system is highly flawed.

 

DVR has ruined what little meaning ratings ever had

 

Not really -- if you record something on your DVR the cable company has a much more accurate read on # of households "tuning" in to a program.

[KyHen]

ratings are dumb. discuss.

 

I definitely feel the whole system is highly flawed.

 

DVR has ruined what little meaning ratings ever had

 

Not really -- if you record something on your DVR the cable company has a much more accurate read on # of households "tuning" in to a program.

But isn't the point of ratings to use as leverage to ramp up advertising costs (I'm ignorant, I have no idea)? And if people that are recording games are skipping commercials, it renders that whole thing useless.

[Bull]

ratings are dumb. discuss.

 

I definitely feel the whole system is highly flawed.

 

DVR has ruined what little meaning ratings ever had

 

Would DVR really affect the ratings of a sporting event -- something very few people would want to watch on a delay?

 

I watch Cubs games on delay all the time now. Not 2 days later or anything, but it's a lot easier to go grab a bite with the wife or take the dog for a walk, and then come back and watch the game while skimming through commercials.

 

me too. if the game starts at 7 or 8, i record it and start watching after the kids are in bed. in fact, i watch almost everything on delay for that very reason (kids)

 

Wow, you guys are really patient. I tried to watch a DVR'd game once and just HAD to go online and see the score!

 

I watch 1:20 games at night all the time. And I usually turn on night games and pause for an hour to watch after the kids are in bed (an extra hour with the kids + no commercials = win/win.)

[inari]

I just could never take recording a game. I want to know if they won far too badly, and if they didn't, I don't want to waste my time watching it.

[C.C.]

I just could never take recording a game. I want to know if they won far too badly, and if they didn't, I don't want to waste my time watching it.

 

Bingo! I have no patience!

[Derwood]

ratings are dumb. discuss.

 

I definitely feel the whole system is highly flawed.

 

DVR has ruined what little meaning ratings ever had

 

Not really -- if you record something on your DVR the cable company has a much more accurate read on # of households "tuning" in to a program.

 

i'm fairly certain that cable/satellite providers don't have the means to track what every customer is watching. ratings are still done through Nielsen households, and, from what I understand, the ratings "boxes" don't track shows that are recorded

[Derwood]

double post

[jersey cubs fan]

I just could never take recording a game. I want to know if they won far too badly, and if they didn't, I don't want to waste my time watching it.

 

Most of my recording of games involves me not being in front of the tv for the first inning or two. So when I get there, I watch the game and fast forward the slow parts until I catch up. I've only actually watched a fully taped game after it was completely over one time. I had a softball game and decided not to use my usual methods to find out the scores, like my phone, XM, or 20/20 updates on the radio. I watched a full Cubs game in about 15 minutes.

[Keener98]

I just could never take recording a game. I want to know if they won far too badly, and if they didn't, I don't want to waste my time watching it.

 

Most of my recording of games involves me not being in front of the tv for the first inning or two. So when I get there, I watch the game and fast forward the slow parts until I catch up. I've only actually watched a fully taped game after it was completely over one time. I had a softball game and decided not to use my usual methods to find out the scores, like my phone, XM, or 20/20 updates on the radio. I watched a full Cubs game in about 15 minutes.

 

Thats about how long their offense takes in a full game.

[NCCubFan]

i'm fairly certain that cable/satellite providers don't have the means to track what every customer is watching. ratings are still done through Nielsen households, and, from what I understand, the ratings "boxes" don't track shows that are recorded

I don't think they do yet, but I believe there's been some discussion about doing it in the future. At first my feeling was that ratings are meaningless without including DVR recordings, but the more I think about it I'm not so sure, since as previously mentioned in this thread, most people skip the commercials. It's a whole new game with the technology, and if the purpose of the ratings is really to see how many people are exposed to the commercials rather than how many watch the show then perhaps not including DVRs would be more accurate. Perhaps the answer is to publish a dual set of ratings, one with DVRs and one without.