As the Cubs figure out what they’re going to do with their TV rights after next year (the latest reporting suggests they’re stills et on starting their own network), they gave the market another reminder of just how powerful their draw can be.
ratings news: more than 7 million watched the #NLWildCard across @espn, espn2 and @ESPNDeportes. Up 61 percent from last year’s NL Wild Card and up from last year’s AL Wild Card on ESPN. #Rockies #Cubs https://t.co/IeX2NlfG4L
— Ben Cafardo (@Ben_ESPN) October 3, 2018
Last year’s NL Wild Card Game, which was televised on TBS, featured the Rockies (just like this year) and the Diamondbacks, and it was also an evening game. So, although it’s not exactly apples to apples, it pretty close to demonstrating that, yeah, the Cubs carry a boatload more attention for your network than – for one example – the Diamondbacks.
The Cubs/Rockies Wild Card Game was the 13th in the short history of the format, but it was the fourth highest-rated, per ESPN.
The Chicago Cubs: still popular.