Mariners' TV ratings on FSN up 25 percent this season

While baseball's viewership dropped nationally this season, the Mariners' television ratings on FSN Northwest shot up in 2009 on the strength of a resurgent season on the field.

The Mariners scored a 5.20 rating, which is a 25.3-percent increase from their 4.2 rating last year, when the ballclub lost 101 games. They improved by 25 games in 2009, compiling an 85-77 record.

Their ratings ranked seventh on regional sports networks among major-league teams, and five of the six above them qualified for the postseason — No. 1 Red Sox (9.46, down 7. 1 percent), No. 2 Cardinals (7.97, up 1.0 percent), No. 3 Phillies (7.13, up 24 percent), No. 4 Tigers (6.89, up 10.1 percent) and No. 5 Twins (6.25, down 16.4 percent). Finishing sixth were the Brewers, coming off their first postseason appearance in 26 years, at 6.16 (down 17.1 percent).

The M's broadcasts were seen in an average of 95,000 homes, a 28.4 percent increase.

"It was a good year for us," said Mark Jorgensen, vice president and station manager for FSN Northwest. "The Mariners' performance on the field surely helped that. It was an exciting year."

Jill Wiggins, FSN Northwest's director of marketing and communications, noted that the Mariners ratings increased 57 percent in August and 39 percent in September.

The Mariners have long been strong performers in local television ratings. From 1996, following their first playoff appearance in 1995, through 2003, they annually ranked one, two or three, jockeying with Boston, Philadelphia and sometimes Cleveland for the top ratings position.

"The Seattle market is always friendly to baseball, especially the Mariners," Jorgensen said. "It really is the envy of major-league baseball in a lot of ways."

Ratings declined, however, as the Mariners finished last in the American League West four out of five seasons between 2004-08. Jorgensen said he believes it is possible for them to move back into the upper echelon.

"I absolutely believe it's in the realm of possibility, and I don't think it's directly related to continued team performance," he said. "It's related to being a compelling team, and they surely became that. That last game was a big wow factor for me."

The ratings figures were compiled by Street and Smith's Sports Business Journal and confirmed by FSN Northwest.

Randy Adamack, the Mariners' vice president of communications, welcomed the ratings news.

"You can always sense fan support, but other than attendance and things like TV ratings, we don't have that many measurables," he said. "This is obviously a good piece of information for us. It's nice to see where we fit among the 30 MLB teams."

According to Sports Business Journal, Fox's ratings for its Saturday afternoon games dropped 10 percent to a 1.8 rating/2.74 million viewers, while ESPN's baseball ratings dropped 8 percent over 66 games, to a 1.1/1.6 million viewers.

Turner was the only national network to record an increase, with its ratings rising from 0.5 to 0.6, and its viewer numbers jumping 27 percent, from 730,000 to 930,000.

TBS reported on Tuesday that its MLB playoff coverage last week propelled the network to the best week in its 33-year history. The MLB division series increased 11 percent in viewership (4.77 million) and households (3.57 million) versus last year.

Larry Stone: 206-464-3146 or lstone@seattletimes.com