Match Game Sunday Reruns.

[Jimmy Owen]

My ABC station is showing two Match Game episodes at 3pm Sunday Afternoon.   Is this a regular practice?

[BrandonFG]

I'm guessing they're looking for filler material before the game starts tonight.

[Fedya]

It was 3PM on the east coast too; I don't think they needed that much filler.

[tvmitch]

Nick M. or someone with closer knowledge of the nitty-gritty of ABC schedules might be more helpful, but back when I worked at an ABC affiliate, I recall the weekend afternoon garbage time schedules being filled with ESPN anthology shows, 30-for-30 documentaries, Wide World of Sports, etc.

My assumption is that they figured the Match Game reruns would do just as well or better than that other programming.

I can say that I tuned in for part of both episodes; I hadn't watched either of them last season, so it was a nice surprise. Reminded me of when WTXF in Philly would run a block of Davidson PiR on Sunday afternoons in '94.

[BrandonFG]

It being that time of year where televised sports are fairly slim, I imagine once the Finals conclude, ABC won't have much until the Little League World Series starts. So, even though Game 2 started at 8 pm EST, right now there's just not much for them to air on a Sunday afternoon, when they usually air NBA games. Wouldn't be surprised if that becomes a rotating set of shows.

[NickintheATL]

ABC has used Match Game as weekend filler before. 'Tis nothing new and it's certainly not utilized a regular basis.

[rebelwrest]

It being that time of year where televised sports are fairly slim.

One of the things that baffles about Major League Soccer is why don't they contract with ABC on Sunday afternoons with a game at 2PM and a game at 4PM.  It gives MLS national exposure and at least affiliates don't have to complain about the network's offerings on Sunday afternoon.  Even though the sport lost some momentum when the Men's National Team didn't qualify for the last world cup, soccer is starting to eclipse baseball in terms of attendance.  Also mark my words, if NBC didn't have to deal with E/I content, they would be airing Premiere League Soccer at Saturday mornings on NBC.

Off-topic rant over

[Sodboy13]

I think MLS still needs to put up numbers that justify a major broadcast network deal, or go back to brokering like they did when they used to be on ABC if they're desperate for it (and why should they be?) The allure of paying for a product that garners sub-NHL ratings is fairly easy for the big three to resist, I would think.

[Dbacksfan12]

It being that time of year where televised sports are fairly slim.

Also mark my words, if NBC didn't have to deal with E/I content, they would be airing Premiere League Soccer at Saturday mornings on NBC.

From Sports Media Watch...
Almost all broadcasts are around the weekend of May 11:

Premier League Soccer (Wolverhampton/Liverpool) 0.55/854k (NBC)
MLB (Cards/Cubs) 1.1/1.81m (ESPN)
PGA Golf 1.6/2.46m (CBS)
NASCAR Cup Series (at Kansas) 1.2/2.18m (FS1)
NHL Playoffs (Canes/Bruins) 1.2/2.26m (NBC)
Premiere boxing 0.9/1.39m (FOX)
UFC 237 prelims 0.53/813k (ESPN)
NBA Draft Lottery 3.9m (No share given, ESPN)

The soccer telecast was cited as the "top game of the day", in terms of ratings.  I'll give you that soccer aired at 7 AM on the west coast.  A game from 2019 MLS opening weekend only drew 394,000 viewers on ESPN.  In the spirit of full disclosure, the As/Indians game only drew a 0.25/394k on FS1.   That said, I'm not seeing how NBC would benefit.

In regards to counterprogramming, I'm sure ABC has weighed the options of picking up expensive sports telecasts as opposed to showing a rerun. 

[Joe Mello]

expensive sports telecasts

FS1's baseball game for Saturday night was from their Wisconsin RSN but with different commercials. ABC's coverage of e-sports are the same way. I get the ratings argument but the expense part falls flat when "simulcast with different commercials" seems to be SOP these days.

[rebelwrest]

I was going to make the expense argument, but Mr. Mello made it much better.

What I was going for was not ABC go to MLS, but MLS goes to ABC. It has been more than 10 years since it aired on ABC, and MLS make a sweetheart deal that is cheap enough for ABC just so they can get national exposure on a big 3 network.  IIRC, ABC's Sunday afternoons never garner good ratings and affiliates have complained about their offerings.  Since it is now cheap enough, and MLS viewers tend to skew younger than most of the people watching reruns on Sunday afternoon, I think MLS would try to give it another go.

[Neumms]

Since it is now cheap enough, and MLS viewers tend to skew younger than most of the people watching reruns on Sunday afternoon, I think MLS would try to give it another go.

I long remember watching sports on weekend afternoons, but just playing devil's advocate, would young audiences be found anywhere near a TV on a Sunday afternoon?

[Jimmy Owen]

Since it is now cheap enough, and MLS viewers tend to skew younger than most of the people watching reruns on Sunday afternoon, I think MLS would try to give it another go.

I long remember watching sports on weekend afternoons, but just playing devil's advocate, would young audiences be found anywhere near a TV on a Sunday afternoon?

Maybe at a sports bar during football baseball and basketball season.

[BrandonFG]

Since it is now cheap enough, and MLS viewers tend to skew younger than most of the people watching reruns on Sunday afternoon, I think MLS would try to give it another go.

I long remember watching sports on weekend afternoons, but just playing devil's advocate, would young audiences be found anywhere near a TV on a Sunday afternoon?

Maybe at a sports bar during football baseball and basketball season.

Definitely during football season and college basketball time. The closer you get to March Madness, the more you'd get with the latter.

[Joe Mello]

I long remember watching sports on weekend afternoons, but just playing devil's advocate, would young audiences be found anywhere near a TV on a Sunday afternoon?

ABC got 300k households to watch people play video games, so yes