Local TV ratings: MLB vs. NBA vs. NHL

Saw this on RealGM. Last year, SportsMediaWatch came out with an article comparing the TV ratings of MLB, NBA and NHL teams in the 52 largest markets with a sports team in the U.S. Here were the numbers.

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1 New York
MLB YES Yankees 4.66
MLB SportsNet New York Mets 2.69
NBA MSG Knicks 0.95
NHL MSG Rangers 0.89
NHL MSG+ Devils 0.58
NHL MSG+ Islanders 0.36
NBA YES Nets 0.29

#2 Los Angeles
NBA FS West Lakers 3.54
MLB FS Prime Ticket Dodgers 2.15
MLB FS West Angels 1.22
NHL FS West Kings 0.48
NBA FS Prime Ticket Clippers 0.44
NHL FS Prime Ticket Ducks 0.42

#3 Chicago
MLB CSN Chicago Cubs 4.16
NHL CSN Chicago Blackhawks 2.45
NBA CSN Chicago Bulls 2.35
MLB CSN Chicago White Sox 2.28

#4 Philadelphia
MLB CSN Philadelphia Phillies 7.13
NHL CSN Philadelphia Flyers 2.18
NBA CSN Philadelphia 76ers 1.24

#5 Dallas
MLB FS Southwest Rangers 2.54
NBA FS Southwest Mavericks 2.41
NHL FS Southwest Stars 0.74

#6 SF/Oak/SJ
MLB CSN Bay Area Giants 3.27
NBA CSN Bay Area Warriors 1.35
NHL CSN California Sharks 1.11
MLB CSN California Athletics 0.82

#7 Boston
MLB NESN Red Sox 9.46
NBA CSN New England Celtics 3.11
NHL NESN Bruins 2.18

#8 Atlanta
MLB FS South Braves 3.52
MLB SportSouth Braves 3.42
NBA SportSouth Hawks 1.93
NBA FS South Hawks 1.66
NHL SportSouth Thrashers 0.33

#9 Washington D.C.
NHL CSN Mid-Atlantic Capitals 1.6
NBA CSN Mid-Atlantic Wizards 1.18
MLB MASN/MASN2 Nationals 0.6

#10 Houston
MLB FS Houston Astros 2.9
NBA FS Houston Rockets 2.83

#11 Detroit
MLB FS Detroit Tigers 6.89
NHL FS Detroit Red Wings 4.21
NBA FS Detroit Pistons 1.98

#12 Phoenix
MLB FS Arizona Diamondbacks 3.32
NBA FS Arizona Suns 3.18
NHL FS Arizona Coyotes 0.62

#13 Seattle
MLB FSN Northwest Mariners 5.2

#14 Tampa/ St. Petersburg
MLB Sun Sports Rays 3.54
MLB FS Florida Rays 3.13
NHL Sun Sports Lightning 0.6

#15 Minneapolis/ St. Paul
MLB FS North Twins 6.25
NHL FS North Wild 1.67
NBA FS North Timberwolves 0.75

#16 Denver
MLB FSN Rocky Mountain Rockies 4.12
NBA Altitude Nuggets 2.78
NHL Altitude Avalanche 1.56

#17 Miami
MLB FS Florida Marlins 3.33
MLB SunSports Marlins 3.23
NBA Sun Sports Heat 2.48
NHL FS Florida Panthers 0.25

#18 Cleveland
NBA FS Ohio Cavaliers 8.59
MLB SportsTime Ohio Indians 2.84

#19 Orlando
NBA Sun Sports Magic 2.1
NBA FS Florida Magic 1.57

#20 Sacramento
NBA CSN California Kings N/A

#21 St. Louis
MLB FS Midwest Cardinals 7.97
NHL FS Midwest Blues 2.33

#22 Portland
NBA CSN Northwest Blazers 3.52

#23 Pittsburgh
NHL FSN Pittsburgh Penguins 8.05
MLB FSN Pittsburgh Pirates 3.25

#24 Charlotte
NBA FS Carolinas Bobcats 0.93

#25 Indianapolis
NBA FS Midwest Pacers 1.63

#26 Raleigh- Durham
NHL FS Carolinas Hurricanes N/A

#27 Baltimore
MLB MASN/MASN2 Orioles 2.9

#28 San Diego
MLB Cox/SD4 Padres 3.8

#29 Nashville
NHL FS Tennessee Predators N/A

#31 Salt Lake City
NBA FS Utah Jazz N/A

#32 Kansas City
MLB FS Kansas City Royals 3.09

#33 Cincinnati
MLB FS Ohio Reds 3.81

#34 Columbus
NHL FS Ohio Blue Jackets 1.39

#35 Milwaukee
MLB FS Wisconsin Brewers 6.16
NHL FS Wisconsin Bucks 2.27

#37 San Antonio
NBA FS Southwest Spurs 6.61

#45 Oklahoma City
NBA FS Oklahoma Thunder 1.91

#50 Memphis
NBA FS Tennessee Grizzlies 2.13

#51 New Orleans
NBA Cox Sports Hornets N/A

#52 Buffalo
NHL MSG Sabres 6.45

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There are 17 cities with both a MLB and NBA team. The MLB team got more viewers in 15 out of those 17 markets. The two markets that got higher TV ratings for their NBA teams were Los Angeles and Cleveland when they still had Lebron James. People make fun of Marlins fans all the time but there were still more people watching Marlins games on TV than the Miami Heat before they assembled the Big Three. There are twenty markets with at least two pro sports teams in MLB, NBA and NHL. The MLB team has the highest TV viewership in 16 of those 20 cities while the NBA and NHL have the most viewers in 2 markets a piece.