- 45% of Canadian population has watched the Blue Jays on Sportsnet so far this season -

- First 81 games produce 51% year-over-year growth -

- Canada’s No. 1 sports media brand records double-digit growth in June -



TORONTO (July 11, 2016) The Blue Jays are rolling into the 2016 MLB All-Star break with the team’s best first half since 1992, and Sportsnet is delivering the audiences to prove it. The Blue Jays’ first 81 games of 2016 set a record for Sportsnet as the most-watched first half season in network history, delivering an average audience of 825,000 viewers (2+).

This marks an increase of 51% in comparison to the average audience at the same time last year (545,000).Season-to-date in 2016, 45% of the Canadian population has watched a regular season Blue Jays game on Sportsnet.

The Blue Jays are also music to sports fans’ ears, as Sportsnet 590 The FAN delivered 86% year-over-year growth in the A25-54 demo, and 32% year-over-year growth in the coveted M25-54 demo, for the first 77 games of the season.

Plus, the month of June was a hot one for both Sportsnet and the Blue Jays, with Sportsnet delivering an overall 5.9 audience share and an average audience of 216,000 – a year-over-year increase of 29%. Sportsnet was also Canada’s #1 specialty channel in June and the third most-watched of all Canadian networks (conventional or specialty) for the month.

Audience highlights from the first half of the 2016 Blue Jays regular season and Sportsnet in June are as follows:

Blue Jays First Half Ratings Report = A+

Blue Jays Millions: 30 Blue Jays broadcasts surpassed the one-million viewer mark so far this season, compared to two at the same time last year

Blue Jays broadcasts surpassed the one-million viewer mark so far this season, compared to two at the same time last year Everyone Loves a Re-Match: Toronto’s three-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals (July 4-6) delivered the highest-rated series so far this season, attracting an average audience of 1.29 million

Toast, Not a Roast: Blue Jays Central , hosted by Gregg Zaun and Jamie Campbell, has delivered 40% year-over-year audience growth at the half-way point of the season

, hosted by Gregg Zaun and Jamie Campbell, has delivered year-over-year audience growth at the half-way point of the season Radio Stars: Blue Jays fans also flocked to radio as audiences for Sportsnet 590 The FAN have increased by 30% overall since the start of the 2016 Blue Jays season (April 3)

Sportsnet in June

Tim & Sid

The popular duo delivered an audience increase of 40% in TV audiences from May to June 2016

Sportsnet Central

The prime time edition of Sportsnet Central delivered an average audience of 175,000in June, an increase of 10% year-over-year, while the morning edition delivered 38% year-over-year growth, and the overnight edition delivering 8% year-over-year growth

MLB on Sportsnet

For the month of June, MLB game coverage on Sportsnet (non-Blue Jays) is up 17% vs. same time last year, delivering an average audience of 102,000

Source: Numeris, AMA(000), Cumulative Reach & Share of Total TV English, June 2016 vs. June 2015. Blue Jays stats based on April 3, 2016 – July 10, 2016 vs. April 6 – July 12, 2015, Total Canada. All audiences are 2+, unless otherwise noted. Radio data based on Toronto CTRL market.

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About Sportsnet

Sportsnet connects Canadian sports fans to their favourite teams and athletes, using five platforms: TV, Radio, Print, Online and Mobile. Delivering storytelling on a local, regional, national and global level, the multiplatform brand consists of Sportsnet, sportsnet.ca, Sportsnet 590 The FAN, Sportsnet 960 The FAN, Sportsnet magazine, Sportsnet Mobile and Sportsnet NOW. Sportsnet consists of four regional channels (Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific), and the nationally-distributed Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet World, and Sportsnet 360. Sportsnet is the official Canadian NHL national broadcast rights holder, and is also the official regional television broadcast rights holder for the Calgary Flames (including radio rights on Sportsnet 960 The FAN), Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs (including radio rights on Sportsnet 590 The FAN), Vancouver Canucks and Montreal Canadiens. In addition, Sportsnet is also the exclusive Canadian broadcast rights holder of the CHL, including the Memorial Cup. Sportsnet is the Canadian leader in MLB television broadcasts and is home to all 162 Toronto Blue Jays games, plus MLB Playoffs and the World Series. Sportsnet also offers an exciting sports lineup including the NFL, Toronto Raptors, NBA, CIS Vanier Cup, Grand Slam of Curling, IndyCar, the Rogers Cup tennis tournament, and extensive soccer programming including Barclays Premier League, Bundesliga, CONCACAF and Canadian national team matches for men and women. Sportsnet Central is the network’s news program, providing regional and national coverage of the day’s events in the world of sports.