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White Sox see largest television ratings drop in MLB

by Joe Binder

Television ratings for the 2023 MLB regular season have been released, and they aren’t great for our beloved team on the South Side.

According to a new report by the Sports Business Journal, the White Sox saw the largest decrease in RSN (regional sports network) viewership out of all 30 major league teams. Compared to the 2022 regular season, the Sox had a whopping 41% decrease in their ratings on NBC Sports Chicago, which undoubtedly comes as a result of the club’s 101-loss campaign.

Courtesy: Sports Business Journal

Other teams that suffered from poor ratings include the Kansas City Royals (-30% on Bally Sports Kansas City), St. Louis Cardinals (-27% on Bally Sports Midwest), New York Mets (-27% on SNY), New York Yankees (-27% on YES Network), and Oakland Athletics (-23% on NBC Sports Chicago). Though there may be some other factors at play outside of wins and losses, each of these clubs fell well below their expectations with none finishing better than fourth in their respective divisions.

On the flip side, the top five in RSN growth include the Texas Rangers (+99% on Bally Sports Southwest), Pittsburgh Pirates (+72% on AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh), Baltimore Orioles (+65% on MASN), the Reds (+65% on Bally Sports Ohio), and the Cubs/Twins (+34% on Marquee Sports Network and Bally Sports North, respectively).

For the White Sox, particularly, it’s been reported plenty before that the team’s regional rights contract with NBC Sports Chicago is set to expire in October 2024. Their renewal with the network has been less than favorable for a while now and this year’s outcome certainly doesn’t bode well for any sort of long-term future between the two. 

Besides, it’s been long rumored that owner Jerry Reinsdorf could be involved with a new network along with the Bulls and Blackhawks. Reinsdorf and his Silver Chalice sports media entity just took majority control of Stadium, a multiplatform sports network that he helped create back in 2017, during May of this year.

With the sports media landscape ever-changing over the past few years, there are still many options left on the table. However, it appears more likely than ever that Reinsdorf is one step closer to forming his own year-round regional sports network, similar to New York’s YES Network and the North Side’s Marquee Sports Network.

For more updates, be sure to follow us on social media @SoxOn35th!


Featured Photo: © Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

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Jay

Hey Jerry remember sports vision? You and Eddie Einhorn, along with dollar bill wirtz lost a whole generation of fans not to mention their offspring was well do to your greed. Comiskey and the stadium were empty in the 90s because you didn’t give fans a chance to see their teams. Go ahead do it again, see where it gets you this time. Put a better competitive product on the field, better yet sell the team. That goes for the Bears as well.

Jack

That will happen to the most unlikable team in sports

Thomas Hall

What you said above is spot on! I read where fans in their 60’s and 70’s who have followed the White Sox their entire lives no longer find the team enjoyable to watch! In 2021, La Russa was hired with the idea that there would not be another first round playoff loss as in 2020! Guess what happened? In 2022 and in 2023 AL Central Winners Cleveland and Minnesota each one a first round series! What does that say?

Thomas Hall

Correction-Cleveland and Minnesota each won a first round series!

Thomas Hall

This, along with the largest attendance drop in MLB, especially for a team from the third largest sports market in the U.S., goes beyond embarrassing! This is utterly disgraceful! Jerry, did you read this, or are you totally oblivious as to what is happening?

mjc72

Go ahead Ebenezer Jerry… Start your own network… no one wants the pay for the garbage product you spew now, that includes the Bulls.

So, please do this… that way we can all laugh at you when it fails. Most people now a days, have pulled the plug on cable and get their entertainment/media coverage via streaming. So you trying to peddle another box of excrement, will shut you out from 30-40% households in the Chicagoland area.

And, the MLB owners are too stupid to realize have a streaming service that does not blackout local games (unlike the NFL), is just plain stupid. The NFL has reaped the rewards from Sunday ticket. MLB could do the same, if they were smart.

Thomas Hall

I read in a book titled “Lords of the Realm” that the other professional sports have always been much smarter than baseball when it has come to television and other media deals!

Thomas Hall

The White Sox pulled a double! Not only do they experience the biggest attendance drop, they also experience the biggest TV Ratings drop! What an embarrassment, or Mr. Reinsdorf, perhaps you don’t view it that way?

Thomas Hall

Could this be the maxim garbage in garbage out? Garbage in regarding the product on the field, garbage out regarding the biggest attendance and TV Ratings drops!

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