NLCS Game 1 Is A Lead Off Hit For FOX

The defending World Champion St. Louis Cardinals opened the National League Championship Series with a bang last night and so too did ratings for FOX Sports' 2012 MLB postseason debut. NLCS Game 1, a 6-4 Cardinals victory over the San Francisco Giants, delivered a 4.1/6 household fast-national rating/share with 6.8 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research.

NLCS Game 1's 4.1/6, which featured a 4th inning offensive explosion for both teams, is up 17% over FOX Sports' 3.5/7 (5.8 million viewers) for last year's rain-impacted ALCS Game 1 between the Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers. Compared to the network's coverage of last year's ALCS Game 1, FOX Sports is up 22% (2.2 vs. 1.8) in the coveted Men 18-34 demographic, and up +36% in Adults 18-34. Sunday night's 6.8 million viewers for FOX Sports is up 100% over NLCS Game 1 last year (3.4 million viewers) and its 4.1/6 fast-national rating/share is up +95% (2.1/4) for a 2011 matchup that featured the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers.

Last night's telecast opened with a 4.6/7 (7.1 million viewers) and peaked at a 4.7/7 (7.4 million viewers) in primetime on the East Coast. St. Louis led all markets with a 41.5/56 followed by San Francisco, which delivered a 20.6/39 rating/share. Sacramento (15.6/26), Memphis (7.3/11), Kansas City (7.0/11), San Diego (5.9/10), Richmond (5.9/9), Salt Lake City (5.7/10), Las Vegas (5.6/9) and Detroit (5.2/8) round out the top ten markets. NLCS Game 2 airs tonight on FOX with coverage beginning at 7:30 PM ET.

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