I turn on MLB on Fox for the national game and what team do I see? If I turn on ESPN networks what teams will I see most often?
Well the odds are that I will see either the Yankees or the Red Sox or both of them.
Those two teams were seen on national games (Fox, ESPN & TBS) more times last season than any other division in baseball with all their teams combined.
This year they are currently scheduled for more appearances than any other division in baseball this season. NOT including the Opening Day game on ESPN a day before any other team got to play, there are 18 scheduled for the Yankees so far, 18 for the Red Sox of 109 total games.
Of the 7 TBS games currently scheduled, 5 include either the Yankees or Red Sox. 71.4% of the games!
National Broadcast Schedule
| Sat, Apr 10 | 3:10 PM | New York Yankees | Tampa Bay Rays | FOX |
| Sat, Apr 10 | 3:10 PM | Seattle Mariners | Texas Rangers | FOX |
| Sat, Apr 10 | 3:10 PM | St. Louis Cardinals | Milwaukee Brewers | FOX |
| Sun, Apr 11 | 1:40 PM | New York Yankees | Tampa Bay Rays | TBS |
| Sun, Apr 11 | 8:05 PM | St. Louis Cardinals | Milwaukee Brewers | ESPN |
| Mon, Apr 12 | 4:10 PM | Boston Red Sox | Minnesota Twins | ESPN |
| Wed, Apr 14 | 8:15 PM | Houston Astros | St. Louis Cardinals | ESPN2 |
| Sat, Apr 17 | 4:10 PM | Chicago White Sox | Cleveland Indians | FOX |
| Sat, Apr 17 | 4:10 PM | San Francisco Giants | Los Angeles Dodgers | FOX |
| Sat, Apr 17 | 4:10 PM | New York Mets | St. Louis Cardinals | FOX |
| Sun, Apr 18 | 1:35 PM | Tampa Bay Rays | Boston Red Sox | TBS |
| Sun, Apr 18 | 8:05 PM | New York Mets | St. Louis Cardinals | ESPN |
| Mon, Apr 19 | 7:10 PM | Chicago Cubs | New York Mets | ESPN |
| Sat, Apr 24 | 4:10 PM | Seattle Mariners | Chicago White Sox | FOX |
| Sat, Apr 24 | 4:10 PM | New York Yankees | Los Angeles Angels | FOX |
| Sun, Apr 25 | 2:10 PM | Chicago Cubs | Milwaukee Brewers | TBS |
| Sun, Apr 25 | 8:05 PM | Atlanta Braves | New York Mets | ESPN |
| Mon, Apr 26 | 7:10 PM | Los Angeles Dodgers | New York Mets | ESPN |
| Sat, May 1 | 3:10 PM | Houston Astros | Atlanta Braves | FOX |
| Sat, May 1 | 3:10 PM | New York Mets | Philadelphia Phillies | FOX |
| Sat, May 1 | 3:10 PM | Texas Rangers | Seattle Mariners | FOX |
| Sun, May 2 | 1:05 PM | Chicago White Sox | New York Yankees | TBS |
| Sun, May 2 | 8:05 PM | New York Mets | Philadelphia Phillies | ESPN |
| Mon, May 3 | 7:10 PM | Los Angeles Angels | Boston Red Sox | ESPN |
| Sat, May 8 | 3:10 PM | Atlanta Braves | Philadelphia Phillies | FOX |
| Sat, May 8 | 3:10 PM | New York Yankees | Boston Red Sox | FOX |
| Sun, May 9 | 1:35 PM | Atlanta Braves | Philadelphia Phillies | TBS |
| Sun, May 9 | 8:05 PM | New York Yankees | Boston Red Sox | ESPN |
| Mon, May 10 | 7:05 PM | New York Yankees | Detroit Tigers | ESPN |
| Sat, May 15 | 4:10 PM | Seattle Mariners | Tampa Bay Rays | FOX |
| Sat, May 15 | 4:10 PM | Philadelphia Phillies | Milwaukee Brewers | FOX |
| Sat, May 15 | 4:10 PM | Houston Astros | San Francisco Giants | FOX |
| Sun, May 16 | 1:05 PM | Minnesota Twins | New York Yankees | TBS |
| Sun, May 16 | 8:05 PM | Philadelphia Phillies | Milwaukee Brewers | ESPN |
| Mon, May 17 | 7:05 PM | Boston Red Sox | New York Yankees | ESPN |
| Sat, May 22 | 7:10 PM | Boston Red Sox | Philadelphia Phillies | FOX |
| Sat, May 22 | 7:10 PM | Chicago Cubs | Texas Rangers | FOX |
| Sat, May 22 | 7:10 PM | Detroit Tigers | Los Angeles Dodgers | FOX |
| Sat, May 22 | 7:10 PM | New York Yankees | New York Mets | FOX |
| Sun, May 23 | 1:35 PM | Boston Red Sox | Philadelphia Phillies | TBS |
| Sun, May 23 | 8:05 PM | New York Yankees | New York Mets | ESPN |
| Mon, May 24 | 7:10 PM | Boston Red Sox | Tampa Bay Rays | ESPN |
| Sat, May 29 | TBD | Seattle Mariners | Los Angeles Angels | FOX |
| Sat, May 29 | 4:10 PM | St. Louis Cardinals | Chicago Cubs | FOX |
| Sat, May 29 | 4:10 PM | Texas Rangers | Minnesota Twins | FOX |
| Sun, May 30 | 2:20 PM | St. Louis Cardinals | Chicago Cubs | TBS |
| Sun, May 30 | 8:05 PM | Texas Rangers | Minnesota Twins | ESPN2 |
| Tue, Jun 1 | 7:10 PM | Philadelphia Phillies | Atlanta Braves | ESPN |
| Sat, Jun 5 | 4:10 PM | Los Angeles Angels | Seattle Mariners | FOX |
| Sat, Jun 5 | 4:10 PM | Florida Marlins | New York Mets | FOX |
| Sat, Jun 5 | 4:10 PM | Milwaukee Brewers | St. Louis Cardinals | FOX |
| Mon, Jun 7 | 7:05 PM | Boston Red Sox | Cleveland Indians | ESPN |
| Sat, Jun 12 | 4:10 PM | Chicago White Sox | Chicago Cubs | FOX |
| Sat, Jun 12 | 4:10 PM | Philadelphia Phillies | Boston Red Sox | FOX |
| Mon, Jun 14 | 8:15 PM | Seattle Mariners | St. Louis Cardinals | ESPN |
| Sat, Jun 19 | 4:10 PM | Los Angeles Dodgers | Boston Red Sox | FOX |
| Sat, Jun 19 | 4:10 PM | Minnesota Twins | Philadelphia Phillies | FOX |
| Mon, Jun 21 | 9:40 PM | New York Yankees | Arizona Diamondbacks | ESPN |
| Sat, Jun 26 | 7:10 PM | Boston Red Sox | San Francisco Giants | FOX |
| Sat, Jun 26 | 7:10 PM | Chicago Cubs | Chicago White Sox | FOX |
| Sat, Jun 26 | 7:10 PM | New York Yankees | Los Angeles Dodgers | FOX |
| Sat, Jul 3 | 4:10 PM | Florida Marlins | Atlanta Braves | FOX |
| Sat, Jul 3 | 4:10 PM | Milwaukee Brewers | St. Louis Cardinals | FOX |
| Sat, Jul 3 | 4:10 PM | Tampa Bay Rays | Minnesota Twins | FOX |
| Sun, Jul 4 | 8:15 PM | Kansas City Royals | Los Angeles Angels | ESPN |
| Mon, Jul 5 | 7:10 PM | Boston Red Sox | Tampa Bay Rays | ESPN |
| Sat, Jul 10 | 4:10 PM | Chicago Cubs | Los Angeles Dodgers | FOX |
| Sat, Jul 10 | 4:10 PM | Minnesota Twins | Detroit Tigers | FOX |
| Sat, Jul 10 | 4:10 PM | Atlanta Braves | New York Mets | FOX |
| Sun, Jul 11 | 8:05 PM | Chicago Cubs | Los Angeles Dodgers | ESPN |
| Sat, Jul 17 | 4:10 PM | Los Angeles Dodgers | St. Louis Cardinals | FOX |
| Sat, Jul 17 | 4:10 PM | Tampa Bay Rays | New York Yankees | FOX |
| Sun, Jul 18 | 8:05 PM | Philadelphia Phillies | Chicago Cubs | ESPN |
| Mon, Jul 19 | 8:15 PM | Philadelphia Phillies | St. Louis Cardinals | ESPN |
| Sat, Jul 24 | 4:10 PM | Colorado Rockies | Philadelphia Phillies | FOX |
| Sat, Jul 24 | 4:10 PM | Minnesota Twins | Baltimore Orioles | FOX |
| Sat, Jul 24 | 4:10 PM | New York Mets | Los Angeles Dodgers | FOX |
| Mon, Jul 26 | 7:05 PM | New York Yankees | Cleveland Indians | ESPN |
| Sat, Jul 31 | 4:10 PM | Los Angeles Dodgers | San Francisco Giants | FOX |
| Sat, Jul 31 | 4:10 PM | Seattle Mariners | Minnesota Twins | FOX |
| Sat, Jul 31 | 4:10 PM | Detroit Tigers | Boston Red Sox | FOX |
| Mon, Aug 2 | 7:10 PM | New York Mets | Atlanta Braves | ESPN |
| Sat, Aug 7 | 4:10 PM | San Francisco Giants | Atlanta Braves | FOX |
| Sat, Aug 7 | 4:10 PM | Boston Red Sox | New York Yankees | FOX |
| Mon, Aug 9 | 7:10 PM | St. Louis Cardinals | Cincinnati Reds | ESPN |
| Sat, Aug 14 | 4:10 PM | Chicago Cubs | St. Louis Cardinals | FOX |
| Sat, Aug 14 | 4:10 PM | San Diego Padres | San Francisco Giants | FOX |
| Sat, Aug 14 | 4:10 PM | Baltimore Orioles | Tampa Bay Rays | FOX |
| Wed, Aug 18 | 7:05 PM | Detroit Tigers | New York Yankees | ESPN |
| Sat, Aug 21 | 4:10 PM | Atlanta Braves | Chicago Cubs | FOX |
| Sat, Aug 21 | 4:10 PM | Texas Rangers | Baltimore Orioles | FOX |
| Sat, Aug 21 | 4:10 PM | Los Angeles Angels | Minnesota Twins | FOX |
| Sat, Aug 28 | 4:10 PM | Philadelphia Phillies | San Diego Padres | FOX |
| Sat, Aug 28 | 4:10 PM | Florida Marlins | Atlanta Braves | FOX |
| Sat, Aug 28 | 4:10 PM | Minnesota Twins | Seattle Mariners | FOX |
| Wed, Sep 1 | 7:10 PM | New York Mets | Atlanta Braves | ESPN |
| Sat, Sep 4 | 4:10 PM | Los Angeles Angels | Oakland Athletics | FOX |
| Sat, Sep 4 | 4:10 PM | New York Mets | Chicago Cubs | FOX |
| Sat, Sep 4 | 4:10 PM | Texas Rangers | Minnesota Twins | FOX |
| Wed, Sep 8 | 7:10 PM | Tampa Bay Rays | Boston Red Sox | ESPN |
| Sat, Sep 11 | TBD | Seattle Mariners | Los Angeles Angels | FOX |
| Sat, Sep 11 | 4:10 PM | St. Louis Cardinals | Atlanta Braves | FOX |
| Sat, Sep 11 | 4:10 PM | Philadelphia Phillies | New York Mets | FOX |
| Wed, Sep 15 | 8:15 PM | Chicago Cubs | St. Louis Cardinals | ESPN |
| Sat, Sep 18 | 4:10 PM | Atlanta Braves | New York Mets | FOX |
| Sat, Sep 18 | 4:10 PM | Colorado Rockies | Los Angeles Dodgers | FOX |
| Sat, Sep 18 | 4:10 PM | Detroit Tigers | Chicago White Sox | FOX |
| Wed, Sep 22 | 7:05 PM | Tampa Bay Rays | New York Yankees | ESPN |
| Wed, Sep 29 | 8:10 PM | Boston Red Sox | Chicago White Sox | ESPN |
ESPN only schedules their Sunday Night games into July and after that they can pick any teams they want. Last season more often than not that was the Yankees or the Red Sox.
You wonder why those two teams have more money than other teams to spend on players and scouts and the other things that make you a consistent winner? Wonder no more.
They get paid for each of these appearances. If they get more of them than all the other teams, how is that creating an even playing field?
All the national games also means more Yankees and Red Sox merchandise being sold because all those people not living in the 30 cities that have MLB teams are buying the stuff of the teams they see on TV most. How is that creating an even playing field?
How many times were the Padres on national TV last season? Twice. (They were scheduled for 3 games just as they are this season, but only made two broadcasts)
How many times were the Yankees on national games last season?
15 games against the Red Sox (of 18?). 26 games against other opponents. For a total of 41 games.
How many times were the Red Sox on National Games last season?
15 games against the Yankees. 26 games against other opponents. For a total of 41 games.
How many games were broadcast nationally on ESPN, Fox and TBS total?
As far as I could find - 108.
You may have noticed I have not included MLB Network. I did that because its viewership is too small to be called national.
Too bad, buddy. Get use to it. It happens to be the best rivalry in sports. If you don't like it, don't watch it. Or, better yet, get DirecTV's MLB package and you can watch whatever you want without grumbling.
ReplyDeleteThe percentage of games is going down this season except on TBS, so at least I dont have to get used to it as often. It still stinks that they get so many games when less people care about them than a Yankee or Red Sox fan like you would think. And I have DirecTV, I don't watch Yankees or Red Sox games unless they are playing the Padres. I won't contribute to their ratings.
ReplyDeletetake a look at the attendance figures at other ballparks when the Yankees or Red Sox are in town. Both of their fan bases are rabid and their fans tune in for every single pitch. Also, because both teams have been in the playoffs quite a bit lately (OK, all the time), they have the stars that an average baseball fan (or even a casual fan) would know of. That said, I'm an avid Red Sox fan and I am tired of it myself.
ReplyDeleteKevin, take a look at attendance when the Padres are in town. They are in the top 10 and draw better than EITHER the Yankees or Red Sox.
ReplyDeletehttp://espn.go.com/mlb/attendance/_/sort/awayAvg
Maybe its the PADRES that should be on TV 17-18 times a year.
Or Houston or the White Sox or the Rangers.
Great point about the Padres. Maybe they SHOULD be the ones on TV more. Oh wait, they are on the west coast so the games don't end until midnight back east and by that time ESPN is already at home sleeping.
ReplyDeleteIt's not just the media - MLB plays up the rivalry because the two teams are now perennial contenders. But it's mostly the northeast media because that region constitutes the bulk of their viewership and profits. Whatever gets ratings in the Boston-NY-Washington corridor is what the whole country is forced to watch.
ReplyDeleteIt's not just the small franchise fans complaining - I saw one comment in a St. Louis blog that read: "to ESPN: go fuck yourselves. -the midwest". I've seen other comments along that line, just not as succinct, from Chicago, LA and San Francisco, from fans of both teams in those cities.
MLB is hooked on the TV revenue, but is going to have problems nationwide if the coverage doesn't become more equitable. After all, the Yankees-Red Sox will never meet in the World Series - or could that be the reason for Bud Selig's floating division concept?
Larry Faria
Ocean Beach
NY is the largest media market, but Boston is pretty far down the list at 7th. LKA is 2nd and SF/Oakland is 6th. San Diego is 28th
ReplyDeleteAs far as Padres road attendance, as I said - Top 10.
2009 Padres were 9th in road attendance
http://espn.go.com/mlb/attendance/_/year/2009/sort/awayAvg
2008 Padres were 4th
http://espn.go.com/mlb/attendance/_/year/2008/sort/awayAvg
2007 Padres were 8th
http://espn.go.com/mlb/attendance/_/year/2007/sort/awayAvg
2006 Padres were 8th
http://espn.go.com/mlb/attendance/_/year/2006/sort/awayAvg
Consistently in the top 10 in MLB and they did that even though they are on the west coast and on TV after the ESPN crews are sleeping. Although Fox has no excuse since they are headquartered in LA.