Royals’ smashing first game sets ratings record for opening-day broadcast

Runs weren’t the only thing that the Royals piled up during Monday’s season opener against the Chicago White Sox.

They also obliterated the competition in terms of TV ratings.

Fox Sports Kansas City announced record viewership for a Royals season opener on Tuesday, reporting that the club’s 10-1 rout of the White Sox at Kauffman Stadium was the highest-rated season or home opener ever for the station.

Monday’s game — highlighted by an American League pennant-raising and ring ceremony — drew the fifth-best rating all-time on the network.

The game generated an 11.7 household rating in the KC market, or 89 percent more than the previous best for a Royals opener on FSKC, according to Nielsen Media Research. Last year’s home opener, the previous record-holder, earned a 6.2 household rating.

Monday’s rating peaked at a 14.5 (134,000 homes) from 5:45 to 6 p.m., the network said.

In its 14th season as the home of the Royals, FSKC says it has televised an estimated 1,171 Royals games.

This story was originally published April 7, 2015 at 12:50 PM with the headline "Royals’ smashing first game sets ratings record for opening-day broadcast."