Fox Sports San Diego ratings up 11% from last year

Last year in 2013 the ratings jumped by 30% from 2012.  In 2014 the ratings hopped up an additional 11% over 2013.  A more modest increase considering Time Warner Cable coming on board during the off-season adding 22% more subscribers.  Now just about everyone in San Diego has the opportunity, for the right price, to watch the Padres.  It's an exciting time to be a local sports cable channel and a good time to start winning over fans.

The Padres Live pre-game show ratings are up 65%.  Mike Pomeranz will probably claim receive most of the credit for this, but don't discount the visually stunning set location in left field.  Let's give credit where it's due.

For the most part I like the pre-game show, they come strong with the talent and overall it has good pacing.  I like when Mark Sweeney (or other former player/host) teaches a tutoriall.  Never having played Little League myself I find I'm lacking in some of the fundamentals.  I also think that this is when Dick Enberg really shines.  He should be forced to write and recite a poem prior to each and every game.  The pre-game show is the sweet spot in his swing.  I wouldn't mind if he took over hosting duties, if I'm being honest.

I've never quite bought into the whole Pick-A-Stick pre-game-game.  I think I was told that Pomeranz brought it from Minneapolis or something.  Whatever its origin, I do like tweeting my pick even though I have no interest in the standings or results.  I just use it as an excuse to tweet the broadcast team and remind them they have Twitter accounts and they should use them.  None of the team are particularly good at using Twitter this season.  I want more interaction but they're too busy bringing in the ratings.

The Padres Live post-game show ratings are up 11%, the same as the channel overall.  For me the post-game show drags probably because I'm usually really irritable after a loss.  I've just sat through approximately 3 hours of pathetic baseball and they are still teasing the highlights and instead talking about games from around the league.  If I came in late, I want to know right up front what I missed and hear some analysis.  The post-game always screws up my scheduled recordings on my DVR too.  I don't think I've been able to record a full Padres POV episode this season. I'd move the debut of new episodes of POV to an earlier time slot.  For the post-game I want game highlights, analysis and the Bud Black interview, no teasing.

Surprisingly July has been the second-best rated month (3.11 HH) behind April’s 3.21 HH.  I thought most fans had checked out after May and June.  I'm not sure what brought them back.  The Padres aren't playing that much better.  Maybe the firing of Josh Byrnes has piqued their curiosity.

via Baseball-Reference

This season’s Padres vs. Rockies (4/16) game produced the highest-rated telecast of the season (5.0 HH) and was the second highest overall rating for the network.  I guess everybody tuned in to see Cashner.  He now owns two of the Top 10 rated games.

Top 10 Highest Rated Padres Games on Fox Sports San Diego

Fox Sports San Diego isn't prepared to rest on their laurels either.  They've heard your demand and they are giving Scott Kaplan another show.  I guess we'll see how that does in the ratings.