The Detroit News

October 21, 2006

BYLINE: Vartan Kupelian and Mike O'Hara

Thames comes through for Henson

Metro Detroit's young people are turned on and tuned in to the Tigers.Baseball might be considered a sport for old-timers nationally, but television ratings for the Tigers-A's series had to be heartwarming for advertisers in the younger demographic groups that drive most of the revenue.

Last week's clinching game over Oakland had an overall 31 rating and a 55 share in Metro Detroit. It peaked at the end, with a 40 rating and a 64 share. A ratings point represents 19,300 households in Metro Detroit. A share represents the percentage of televisions in use that are tuned to a station at a particular time.

In the 18-49 age group, the share peaked at 67 for women and 74 for men. Those are astonishing numbers -- and somewhat surprising. Young people either love the Tigers, or love to party. Or they love a Tigers party.

Eric Wright , vice president for research and development for Joyce Julius & Associates, an Ann Arbor-based firm that tracks the value of advertising sponsorship and exposure, said the Tigers are hitting homers with the prime age group.

"Obviously, that's the key demographic," Wright said. "Generically speaking, that's what (advertisers) are aiming at. I have a hunch that could be unique to Detroit, based on the circumstances and the history of what's going on.

"I have a tendency to agree that baseball generally skews a little bit older."