Will The Cubs ON FS1 Mark A Turning Point For The Network?

[Tugg Speedman]

Baseball ratings are up thanks to the Cubs legit chance at the World Series.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/tv-ratings-mets-series-winning-832658

FYI - Wrigley playoff tickets are averaging $1,300 dollars in the secondary market, the highest ever for a LCS.  Estimates are Wrigley World Series tickets, should the Cubs make it, will be the most expensive ticket in baseball history.   The Cubs also announced that more than one million people have registered on their website for single game tickets.

FS1 need attention.  It needs an "event" to make the broader public aware that it exists and seek it out.  Once they do, they hope is they will remember it as a destination with "meaningful" sports programming (like BE basketball!)

Is the "event***" the Cubs World Series run?  In the long run will this matter for the network and from this moment forward this will see overall higher levels of ratings? Or will it get record ratings (tonight's game is expected to be a network rating record ... and will broken until later in the series) and then sink back to its pre-cubs mania levels?

Thoughts?

*** = In 1993 Letterman's new show on CBS was regularly getting better ratings than Leno's Tonight Show.  This went on for 18 months.  Leno need an "event" to change his fortunes.

In 1995 Hugh Grant was arrested for soliciting a prostitute.  A few weeks later he went on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno to explain himself.  The Tonight Show had monsters ratings that night and from that moment forward consistently saw better ratings that Letterman.  One 'event" change the fortunes of the entire show for years to come.

Could a Cubs World Series run do the same thing for FS1?

[Eldon]

Baseball ratings are up thanks to the Cubs legit chance at the World Series.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/tv-ratings-mets-series-winning-832658

FYI - Wrigley playoff tickets are averaging $1,300 dollars in the secondary market, the highest ever for a LCS.  Estimates are Wrigley World Series tickets, should the Cubs make it, will be the most expensive ticket in baseball history.   The Cubs also announced that more than one million people have registered on their website for single game tickets.

FS1 need attention.  It needs an "event" to make the broader public aware that it exists and seek it out.  Once they do, they hope is they will remember it as a destination with "meaningful" sports programming (like BE basketball!)

Is the "event" the Cubs World Series run?  In the long run will this matter for the network or will it get record ratings (tonight's game is expected to be a network rating record ... and will broken until later in the series) and then sink back to its pre-cubs mania levels?

Thoughts?

FIND STEVE BARTMAN!

[nyg]

Mets-Cubs entire series will be on TBS.

FS1 covering KC-Toronto series.

World Series will be on Fox, so Cubs will not even be seen on FS1.

[Tugg Speedman]

Mets-Cubs entire series will be on TBS.

FS1 covering KC-Toronto series.

World Series will be on Fox, so Cubs will not even be seen on FS1.

Crap, I've been watching them now on FS1 talking about it and assumed they would have the NLCS as well.

Can the BE change its deal to TBS!

[GGGG]

When the BE puts a better product on the floor, it will get better ratings on FS1.  In the meantime, just cash the checks.

[brandx]

When the BE puts a better product on the floor, it will get better ratings on FS1.  In the meantime, just cash the checks.

Bingo!

Then after the games, most people will turn the channel to ESPN for their sports news.

FS1 is not a secret. Sports fans know where the different sports channels are. When FS1 delivers a better product, they will get better ratings.

[Loose Cannon]

.

. When FS1 delivers a better product, they will get better ratings.

Check out Colin Cowherd's Sidekick on FS1.

[4everwarriors]

Kristine Leahy---so hot, want to touch the heine, ai na?

[Loose Cannon]

Kristine Leahy---so hot, want to touch the heine, ai na?

She's from my Home Town

[dgies9156]

When the BE puts a better product on the floor, it will get better ratings on FS1.  In the meantime, just cash the checks.

I think WE are taking the first steps toward that with the Luke and Henry Show.

Right here on FS1. Stay turned, same Eagle time. Same Eagle channel!!!!! :-)

[real chili 83]

WGN=Dumba$$

Great timing.

[brewcity77]

So in regards to the OP, I guess the answer is no, ai'na?

[Tugg Speedman]

WGN=Dumba$$

Great timing.

WLS paid the Cubs 200% more than WGN. 

WGN wanted them but was not willing to pony up that much.

[Earl Tatum]

CUBS ARE LONG TIME LOSERS, ALWAYS WILL BE.

[Ellenson Guerrero]

Kristine Leahy---so hot, want to touch the heine, ai na?

Went to high school with her and two of my friends dated her. She's about as smart as her on-air persona suggests.

[bradley center bat]

When the BE puts a better product on the floor, it will get better ratings on FS1.  In the meantime, just cash the checks.

6 out of 10 team went to the dance. The league was #2 in the RPI.

[brewcity77]

6 out of 10 team went to the dance. The league was #2 in the RPI.

March matters. Need someone in the Final Four and multiple teams in the second weekend.

[bradley center bat]

March matters. Need someone in the Final Four and multiple teams in the second weekend.

I don't disagree, but many overrate results in March.

[Tugg Speedman]

When the BE puts a better product on the floor, it will get better ratings on FS1.  In the meantime, just cash the checks.

March matters. Need someone in the Final Four and multiple teams in the second weekend.

How does March success affect the previous November to February TV ratings?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

How does March success affect the previous November to February TV ratings?

It doesn't. It affects next November to February's TV ratings

[Benny B]

It doesn't. It affects next November to February's TV ratings

Granted, but one has to believe there is something of a real-time correlation.

[Tugg Speedman]

It doesn't. It affects next November to February's TV ratings

So three years ago we were an E8 team.  Two years ago we were a pre-season BE favorite in year 1 of the new FS1 contract (Brent's last year).

By this logic we should have been the marquee draw of the league.  I don't seem to remember it turning out that way. (Yes we disappointed but that was not apparent until February and should not have affected TV ratings.)

And, if HE leads us into the second week (again if) and he leaves, you expect us to have much better TV ratings next year?

[g0lden3agle]

So three years ago we were an E8 team.  Two years ago we were a pre-season BE favorite in year 1 of the new FS1 contract (Brent's last year).

By this logic we should have been the marquee draw of the league.  I don't seem to remember it turning out that way. (Yes we disappointed but that was not apparent until February and should not have affected TV ratings.)

And, if HE leads us into the second week (again if) and he leaves, you expect us to have much better TV ratings next year?

1) I believe the March success argument has more to do with conference-wide success in March vs. the correlation of any one team's success in March.  When the entire BEast consistently does well in March, FS1 being known as the home of the BEast will naturally draw more viewership.

2) There are too many unique cases in the first two years of FS1 to draw conclusions that prove/disprove any theories about how March success impacts viewership.   The big east was largely starting from scratch as most of the uninformed public assumed it would not be a good product with the schools they lost.  Couple that with their games being on a new network and you have an instability in viewership that outweighs any other factors that could play into viewership.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

So three years ago we were an E8 team.  Two years ago we were a pre-season BE favorite in year 1 of the new FS1 contract (Brent's last year).

By this logic we should have been the marquee draw of the league.  I don't seem to remember it turning out that way. (Yes we disappointed but that was not apparent until February and should not have affected TV ratings.)

We were one of the most (if not the most) watched teams in the league. There would have been less viewers if we had lost in round 1 to Davidson.

And, if HE leads us into the second week (again if) and he leaves, you expect us to have much better TV ratings next year?

Yes.

March success isn't the only factor, but it is a factor.

[GGGG]

I think the BE's make up of a bunch of private schools limits the audience.  I think the BE was fortunate to have a willing partner to pay what it did for its basketball games.  I think the only way they get a significant number of casual fans to watch is if there is either a late season top 10 match-up, OR if a team like the 1980s Hoyas emerges.