New York market posts its best Home Run Derby rating
The Yankees' Aaron Judge can hardly contain himself after winning the Home Run Derby at Marlins Park on Monday, July 10, 2017 in Miami. Credit: Getty Images / Mike Ehrmann
ESPN’s telecast of the Home Run Derby in Miami on Monday night averaged 5.5 percent of homes in major markets, the highest “overnight” rating for the event since 2009.
The rating was up 38 percent from last year’s 4.0.
In New York, the telecast averaged a 10.8 rating, the highest for a Home Run Derby in the market as far back as records go, which is 1998.
The huge number was fueled by the participation of Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, who won the event, and catcher Gary Sanchez, who advanced to the second round by beating defending champion Giancarlo Stanton of the host Marlins.
The only market that recorded a higher rating for the Derby than New York was Kansas City, at 13.6 percent of homes.
The Derby averaged nearly 8.7 million total viewers, the most since 2008.
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
