Matsuzaka-Ichiro match draws high ratings

The first major league showdown between pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka (Boston Red Sox) and outfielder Ichiro Suzuki (Seattle Mariners) took place on Wednesday. The game was highly anticipated by fans in Japan, evidenced by the network ratings.

Video Research Ltd. announced that NHK’s delayed broadcast of the game, which aired at 8:30 in the morning, achieved an average rating of 10.7% (8.9% in the Kansai region). The typical rating for that time slot is about 5.3%.

The ratings peaked at the start of the game, reaching 13.3% in the Kanto area. However, NHK’s news program “Ohayo Nippon,” which preceded the broadcast, achieved a higher peak of 15.4% when it aired a live clip of Ichiro’s first at-bat against “Dice-K.”

Source:
Sankei Sports