Ratings Roundup: MLB All-Star Game Slumps as U.S. Women’s Soccer Shines

The buzz around the U.S. women’s soccer team is translating into big numbers for ESPN. According to Sports Business Daily, the United States-France Women’s World Cup semifinal earned a 2.6 overnight rating on ESPN Wednesday afternoon, tying Sunday’s U.S.-Brazil match as the highest-rated in the metered markets since 1999. The overnight also ties the second-highest ever for a Women’s World Cup match on ESPN. The current record is a 3.2 overnight rating for the 1999 United States-Brazil semifinal (3.2)…

…The MLB All-Star Game drew the lowest rating in the history of the event Tuesday night. Fox posted a 6.9 final rating, down 8% from last year’s 7.5. Nonetheless, the game was still the most-watched television program on any channel that night and the network’s highest-rated show since the American Idol finale on May 25…

…Although ratings for the All-Star Game dropped, the Home Run Derby is looking up. According to fast national ratings, ESPN’s telecast of the 2011 State Farm Home Run Derby Monday night averaged 6,686,000 viewers, a 4% increase over last year’s 6,418,000 viewers.  The corresponding 4.7 rating was up 2% from last year’s 4.6, according to Nielsen. The rating for the telecast peaked with a 5.1 in the 9:30-10 p.m. ET period…

…Earlier this week, Sports Business Journal reported that the Milwaukee Brewers are among the top five MLB teams this season in terms of local TV ratings, with a 6.9. Of all the television households in the Milwaukee area, nearly 7% have tuned in to a portion of a Brewers game so far this season. That number is up 32% from 2010…

…Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Pirates were over .500 at the All-Star break and, as a result, have seen one of the top-five TV-ratings increases so far this season. Average ratings are up 33% to a 4.52 on Root Sports Pittsburgh, according to Nielsen Media Research. Only three teams — Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, and San Francisco Giants — have seen higher increases in ratings on their regional sports networks. The Indians lead both leagues, with an 80% jump (to a 6.32 average rating) on SportsTime Ohio.