MLB local TV ratings down, but White Sox see big increase

The rebuilding White Sox have seen a 41% increase in local TV ratings as of the All-Star break, but they’re still well behind the Cubs’ viewership.

While baseball as a whole struggles to maintain its audience on television in 2019, the White Sox have been one of the sport’s success stories in that area. The South Siders have seen a 41% increase in their average ratings on NBC Sports Network this year, per Sports Business Journal, which is tied for the second-highest improvement of any MLB club.

The White Sox’ ratings, usually among the league’s worst, are up to an average of 1.18 on NBCSN this year. However, that’s still 27th among U.S.-based MLB franchises and ahead of only the Marlins and Athletics, which shows how far the Sox have to go to in a city with a more popular club.

MLB’s local TV ratings in general are down 4% in the first half of the season with big drops in San Francisco, New York and Boston hitting especially hard.

The Cubs, despite their audience being down 5% from a year ago, have averaged a 3.91 rating on NBCSN, which is more than triple what their crosstown rival averages. They’re expected to shift that viewership over to Marquee, their new network in partnership with Sinclair Broadcasting, in 2020.

The White Sox, who are staying on NBCSN beyond this year, will hope to continue building that positive momentum both on the field and with their fans. Last month, NBCSN also pointed to huge increases in viewership of their online streaming coverage as a positive sign.

The arrival of young talents like Yoan Moncada, Eloy Jimenez and Dylan Cease has been a big part of the increased interest in the club. With other prospects like Luis Robert, Michael Kopech, Nick Madrigal and Andrew Vaughn set to join them in the coming years, the Sox’ surging popularity will likely continue.