Lack of an Audience Means Dodgers’ Season Opener Will Not Be Televised

The Dodgers’ season opener today will not be televised because of its 11:30 a.m. start time, a Channel 5 official said Sunday.

“The audience just isn’t there for a daytime game,” said Joe Quasarano, Channel 5’s executive producer for sports.

Quasarano said it was a mutual decision between the Dodgers and his station not to televise the opener.

Channel 5 instead will show its usual daytime lineup of “Little House on the Prairie,” noontime news, “Northern Exposure” and “Doogie Howser, M.D.”

Quasarano said next Monday’s home opener against Atlanta, a day game, will be added to the telecast schedule. The next night’s game against the Braves will also be televised, as previously scheduled.

Only one of the Dodgers’ opening three games at Houston, on Tuesday night, will be carried by Channel 5. The Dodgers next go to Chicago, and only two of four games there--the ones next weekend--will be televised by Channel 5.

The Dodgers televise fewer games than any other major league team. With the addition of the home opener, the total is now 47, including 11 home games.

The Dodgers are the only team to televise fewer than 50 games and only one of six to televise less than 100. The Dodgers are also one of only five teams without a cable deal.

The Angels will televise 81 games this season, 50 by Channel 9, 31 by Prime Sports. The 81 is the fifth-fewest in baseball.