Turner said it is seeing a big uptick in viewership across its TV Everywhere digital platforms thanks to its exclusive rights for National League games during the MLB postseason.
The company said that live streaming coverage of MLB postseason games on its TV Everywhere platforms has generated 4.3 million minutes of consumption through Saturday, up 39% over last year.
In all, Turner said that TBS’s exclusive coverage of the 2017 National League Division Series (NLDS)—pitting the Chicago Cubs against the Washington Nationals and the Arizona Diamondbacks against the Los Angeles Dodgers—has averaged 3.2 million total viewers through Saturday, an increase of 14% over last year’s games.
The programmer said that TBS’s NLDS coverage has produced 11% growth among people 18-49 and a 14% increase in people 25-54 through the first two games of the series, and that Saturday’s NLDS Game 2 doubleheader on TBS averaged 3.1 million total viewers, up 41% over last year’s comparable TBS coverage.
“The MLB Postseason on TBS has propelled the network to win the night twice across all of cable television through Saturday,” the network said in a news release.
RELATED: YouTube TV to use World Series as first big brand awareness effort
As Turner’s TBS says it’s experiencing a boost in viewership for MLB games, virtual MVPD YouTube TV is planning to use the World Series this year for its first major marketing push around its service.
The World Series, airing on Fox, will see TV ads for the service. Meanwhile, the service will run ads on Major League Baseball’s digital properties and stadiums. YouTube TV will also incorporate MLB players in its promotions.