New York Yankees
The Yankees have made the playoffs in 16 of the last 17 seasons. Reuters

Even though all four division playoff series went the distance this year, baseball ratings are down from 2011.

According to figures from the Associated Press, the baseball ratings on TBS are down 11 percent from a year ago. This year, the 18 games shown on the network averaged a 2.4 rating, down from the average 2.7 rating in 2011.

Two games were shown on the MLB Network, with 2012 being the first year playoff baseball was broadcast on the channel. Those two games – Game 2 between the Detroit Tigers and Oakland A’s and Game 3 between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Washington Nationals – averaged 1.2 million viewers. While that figure represented the highest viewership ever recorded by the MLB Network, the ratings were down nearly 50 percent from a year ago, when the comparable two games were on TBS.

Ratings for 2012 World Series may also suffer. While the most popular MLB team, the New York Yankees, is in the ALCS, they are down 2-0 to the Detroit Tigers. If the Yankees, a baseball ratings juggernaut, can’t come from behind and make it to the World Series, the viewership numbers will be lower than if the Bronx Bombers can pull off a comeback.

On the National League side, the 2011 World Series defending champion Cardinals and San Francisco Giants are tied at one game apiece.

Down MLB