Cubs-Pirates Set Wild Card Ratings Record

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Last night’s Chicago Cubs-Pittsburgh Pirates Wild Card telecast drew a record 8.3 million viewers, breaking the viewership mark set 24 hours earlier.  

TBS’ National League Wild Card telecast upended the 7.3 million viewers ESPN generated for its Tuesday night New York Yankees-Houston Astros American League Wild Card telecast, according to Nielsen.

The game, which the Cubs won 4-0 over the Pirates, is also the most watched baseball game on cable since the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals-Philadelphia Phillies NL Division series game drew 8.4 million viewers, according to Nielsen.

Wednesday’s NL Wild Card Game also delivered double-digit increases across Turner’s TV Everywhere platforms with live streaming coverage up 58% among unique visits, 23% in total minutes consumed and 15% in live video starts.

R. Thomas Umstead
R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.