Last night's telecast of NLDS Game Two between the Cubs and the Giants on MLB Network drew a 2.5 HH rating and 4.6 million viewers, marking MLB Network's highest-rated and most-watched telecast in its history. The game peaked with a 2.9 and 5.2 million viewers from 10-10:15 p.m. ET, and is projected to win the night across cable networks.
The telecast beat MLB Network's prior record by 114% (1.2 HH rating) and 151% (1.8 million viewers) for 2014's NLDS Game Three between the Nationals and Giants. It also topped MLB Network's corresponding 2015 LDS game telecast by 127% (1.1 HH rating) and 195% (1.6 million viewers) for the Rangers at Blue Jays.
Chicago delivered a 18.8 HH rating, MLB Network's second-highest local rating in any market, while San Francisco drew an 11.9 rating, up 80% from the Giants' 2014 NLDS Game Three on MLB Network. Both local ratings set records in each market for MLB Network.
2016 marks the fifth consecutive year that MLB Network has exclusive telecasts of two Division Series games. MLB Network will next televise Game Three of the NLDS between the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers tomorrow, October 10 at Dodger Stadium with Bob Costas, Jim Kaat and Jon Paul Morosi on the call at 4:00 p.m. ET. The game will be available nationwide and in each club's home TV territory on MLB Network.
A free preview of MLB Network is being offered to video customers of AT&T U-verse, Comcast, Cox, DIRECTV, DISH Network, Frontier, RCN and Verizon FiOS through Tuesday, October 11. The free preview is in addition to MLB Network's existing distribution with the top video providers in the U.S., and it will make MLB Network's Division Series game telecasts accessible to more viewers than any prior year.
About MLB Network:
MLB Network is the ultimate television destination for baseball fans, featuring the multiple Emmy Award-winning MLB Tonight, live regular season and Postseason game telecasts, original programming, highlights, and insights and analysis. MLB Network debuted on January 1, 2009 in a record-setting 50 million homes, is currently distributed in approximately 68 million homes throughout the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, and is available for live, authenticated streaming via MLB.com At Bat and MLBNetwork.com. For more information and to find MLB Network in your area, go to www.MLBNetwork.com.