Padres broadcasts on FSSD have highest ratings increase in the league

The Padres may have the 3rd lowest average audience size in Major League Baseball with 29,000 households, but they've seen a 52% increase in their ratings in the last year, the most in the Majors. The increase is due in large part to Fox Sports San Diego being picked up by AT&T and the Dish Network in the off-season. Just imagine the ratings if Time Warner cable ever decided to give their subscribers the opportunity to watch.

The SportsBusiness Journal is keeping tabs on the ratings.

Lack of deals, wins sends Astros’ ratings down | SportsBusiness Journal

FS San Diego, has posted the biggest percentage ratings increase this season among U.S.-based MLB teams. San Diego Padres games have the third-lowest average audience among teams monitored by SportsBusiness Journal, but the team’s 2.74 rating (29,000 homes) is up 52 percent from last year, somewhat surprising considering the team’s below-.500 record.

The main difference: AT&T and Dish Network started carrying FS San Diego this year; last year, they didn’t. That means Padres games can be seen by more San Diego subscribers than last year. Time Warner Cable remains the main holdout, refusing to carry FS San Diego.

Apparently FSSD and I have something in common, we're growers not showers.

Also, as a reference, the Yankees have the largest MLB audience size. This year they dropped 39% but still have 185,000 households watching on average. The Houston Astros have 10,000 households after losing 66% of their viewers from last year. This puts them in dead last.