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11-25-2004, 12:27 AM
Local television ratings for Milwaukee Brewers games were up almost 48% this past season despite the fact that the team had its 12th consecutive losing season.
The 115 Brewers games televised by Fox Sports Net North averaged a 3.1 rating, or more than 27,000 households in the Milwaukee market. Last season, the 80 games on FSN averaged 2.1.
A ratings point in the Milwaukee market represented 8,715 households in 2003; this year it's 8,868. TV seasons and their attendant ratings numbers run from September to September.
Interest in the Brewers was driven by their winning record in the first half of the season, and that drove up ratings for their games, especially in the first two-thirds of the season.
The Brewers collapsed after the all-star break and had the worst second half in major-league history for a team that had a winning record in the first half.
The 2004 season marked the first in club history in which all of the telecasts were aired on cable television. In 2001-'03, the club offered 50 games on over-the-air TV each season, 38 on WCGV (Channel 24) and 12 on WISN (Channel 12).
The Brewers' ratings increase is the second-highest percentage jump of any of the 22 major-league teams that FSN regionals carry. Anaheim Angels telecasts had a 54% increase on FSN West.
Not surprisingly, the two highest ratings for any Brewers telecasts in 2004 came against the Chicago Cubs on consecutive days in the first half of the season.
On the night of July 7, the Brewers-Cubs telecast had a 9.6 rating, or about 85,000 households. The previous night, Brewers-Cubs had a 7.3 rating or about 64,000 households.
The 12 Brewers-Cubs telecasts on FSN this season averaged a 4.7 rating, or more than 40,000 households.
The 115 Brewers games televised by Fox Sports Net North averaged a 3.1 rating, or more than 27,000 households in the Milwaukee market. Last season, the 80 games on FSN averaged 2.1.
A ratings point in the Milwaukee market represented 8,715 households in 2003; this year it's 8,868. TV seasons and their attendant ratings numbers run from September to September.
Interest in the Brewers was driven by their winning record in the first half of the season, and that drove up ratings for their games, especially in the first two-thirds of the season.
The Brewers collapsed after the all-star break and had the worst second half in major-league history for a team that had a winning record in the first half.
The 2004 season marked the first in club history in which all of the telecasts were aired on cable television. In 2001-'03, the club offered 50 games on over-the-air TV each season, 38 on WCGV (Channel 24) and 12 on WISN (Channel 12).
The Brewers' ratings increase is the second-highest percentage jump of any of the 22 major-league teams that FSN regionals carry. Anaheim Angels telecasts had a 54% increase on FSN West.
Not surprisingly, the two highest ratings for any Brewers telecasts in 2004 came against the Chicago Cubs on consecutive days in the first half of the season.
On the night of July 7, the Brewers-Cubs telecast had a 9.6 rating, or about 85,000 households. The previous night, Brewers-Cubs had a 7.3 rating or about 64,000 households.
The 12 Brewers-Cubs telecasts on FSN this season averaged a 4.7 rating, or more than 40,000 households.