Report: Brewers television ratings jump significantly

[AJAY]

It's nice to see that viewership was way up this season. I hate to sound like broken record, but I really hope the Brewers organization and FSN make a serious commitment to airing all the games on high definition from now on. Other cities get all their games in HD. I think we should too.

 

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=671220

[Invader3K]

Do many people have access to the FSN-HD feed, though? It seems like a lot of posters here don't. Charter doesn't carry it right now, for example.

[Team Canada]

The meat of it:

 

"The local television ratings for Milwaukee Brewers this season were the highest for the club since 1994.

 

Brewers games on FSN Wisconsin averaged 7.5, or an estimated 66,225 households, for the 2007 season. FSN Wisconsin carried 118 games in the regular season. A total of 15 Brewers games aired on WMLW-TV (Channel 41) and those games averaged 6.0, or 52,980 households. The ratings for the 13 Sunday games carried on Telemundo were not available."

[TooLiveBrew]

No esta aqui! http://static.yuku.com//domainskins/bypass/img/smileys/wink.gif

 

This is great news, yet not totally unexpected. Get us every game on FSN, and as many games as possible on HD! Meet the fans' commitment, Milwaukee Brewers (& Fox)!

[sgtcluels]

Well that's good news, do they figures for the entire state available beyond the "Local television ratings?"

[Patrick425]

It's too bad that this does not directly effect revenues for the Brewers because of the horrible TV contract that they are "stuck" in.

[Invader3K]

Yeah, thanks again, Wendy.

[pitchleague]

I know that this has been discussed in the past but not all that much, but couldn't Mark open the purse strings a bit more and buyout the contract's remaining years with FSN so they can redo the whole package? I know we'd probably rather he spend on players but this TV deal just cripples the team and will do so for at least another 5 years, I think. It's just terrible.

 

Isn't there some way that he and his investors could start negotiating with FSN about restructuring the contract to get more games on television? It's better than it was even 3 years ago but the contract could be so much better. As for HD, I don't care but I know many of you do and I agree with you that if other markets are getting the majority of games on HD, then we should too.

[1992casey]

Yeah, thanks again, Wendy.

I think Ulice Payne did this one.

 

[watertown28]

well I am happy was part of the ratings. I think i watched just about every game on tv this season

[Invader3K]

I don't think the amount of games, or even less the amount of HD games, is the problem. The problem is the revenue the Brewers get from those games. I've heard they get like 1/10th the amount of cash that even some teams like the Royals do from their TV deals, though I could be wrong. I'm not sure if there is some resource to find out about this sort of thing.

[dadofandrew]

I'd be astounded if HD games were rated any higher than others. We've heard other things over the years, such as "Sunday games are the highest rated", which turned out to be untrue and actually opposite of the truth. If you planned on watching the Brewers and are a fan, I can't see that making a difference.

[1992casey]

I don't think the amount of games, or even less the amount of HD games, is the problem. The problem is the revenue the Brewers get from those games.

Exactly. If you checked, the Brewers are probably on the high end as far as the number of games on their TV schedule.

I'd be astounded if HD games were rated any higher than others. We've heard other things over the years, such as "Sunday games are the highest rated", which turned out to be untrue and actually opposite of the truth. If you planned on watching the Brewers and are a fan, I can't see that making a difference.

It's annoying watching a 4:3 analog broadcast on a 16:9 HD set when you know how much nicer HD would be, but I don't know how much my viewing habits would change because of it.

 

Brewer broadcasts should be in HD is because it's today's technology. That's reason enough.

[And That]

I'd be astounded if HD games were rated any higher than others. We've heard other things over the years, such as "Sunday games are the highest rated", which turned out to be untrue and actually opposite of the truth. If you planned on watching the Brewers and are a fan, I can't see that making a difference.

I'm personally much more interested in watching baseball if it's available in HD. After you go HD, you don't want to go back. 480i/p is so 3 years ago. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

[dadofandrew]

I really did not word that very well, I should have said "significantly higher". I can see a 2-3% difference, but that's extremely minor in the scheme of things.

[watertown28]

I'd be astounded if HD games were rated any higher than others. We've heard other things over the years, such as "Sunday games are the highest rated", which turned out to be untrue and actually opposite of the truth. If you planned on watching the Brewers and are a fan, I can't see that making a difference.

I'm personally much more interested in watching baseball if it's available in HD. After you go HD, you don't want to go back. 480i/p is so 3 years ago. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

you can buy me an LCD tv then...

 

[And That]

I'd be astounded if HD games were rated any higher than others. We've heard other things over the years, such as "Sunday games are the highest rated", which turned out to be untrue and actually opposite of the truth. If you planned on watching the Brewers and are a fan, I can't see that making a difference.

I'm personally much more interested in watching baseball if it's available in HD. After you go HD, you don't want to go back. 480i/p is so 3 years ago. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

you can buy me an LCD tv then...

 

The point being that as the market becomes more flooded with HD sets and as we move towards the HD-only near future (everything converts to digital-only 2/17/09 and HD dominance will come soon after), it makes sense for teams to get ahead of the curve now and broadcast as many games as possible in HD. That way, they can be part of the growth before the government-mandated level playing field comes into effect. Al's right in that the difference may be negligible right now, but that may well change drastically between now and April.

 

[danzig6767]

I'd be astounded if HD games were rated any higher than others. We've heard other things over the years, such as "Sunday games are the highest rated", which turned out to be untrue and actually opposite of the truth. If you planned on watching the Brewers and are a fan, I can't see that making a difference.

I'm personally much more interested in watching baseball if it's available in HD. After you go HD, you don't want to go back. 480i/p is so 3 years ago. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

 

Even worse is Fox has a pretty crappy signal IMO for it's non-HD games.A Brewers game not being in HD won't cause me to not watch it,but it does make for a much less pleasurable viewing experience.Watching a game in non-HD sorta feels like you're watching a movie on some old crappy VHS tape while you know DVD's are available.

[jeffy]

everything converts to digital-only 2/17/09

Not even close to "everything". That government mandate affects only over the air broadcasting. So it has no impact on FSN or your TV that is connected to cable or satellite.