Overnight (metered market) ratings by timeslot:
Basketball.
3.4: NBA on ABC, Cavaliers/Lakers (3:30 PM Sunday)
2.3: NBA on ABC, Celtics/Magic (1 PM Sunday)
1.4: NBA Countdown on ABC (12:30 PM Sunday)
1.3/3: College basketball on CBS, Michigan/Michigan State (1 PM Sunday)
1.3/3: College basketball on CBS, Connecticut/Indiana (1 PM Saturday)
- ABC drew solid numbers for its return to Sunday afternoon NBA coverage. The 3.4 for the Cavaliers/Lakers game marks a 3% increase over the 3.3 for Spurs/Lakers in ’07, and is the second-highest rated non-Christmas regular season game in the past three seasons. Celtics/Magic was less impressive, as the 2.3 for Orlando’s buzzer-beating victory marks a 12% drop from the 2.6 for Suns/Cavs last year.
Golf.
4.6/9: PGA Tour on CBS, Buick Invitational, Final Round (3 PM Sunday)
3.2/7: PGA Tour on CBS, Buick Invitational, Third Round (3 PM Saturday)
- Dominance is not always a good thing. Tiger Woods‘ demolishing of his competition at the Buick Invitational led to an 18% drop in ratings for final round coverage on Sunday. The 4.6/9 is the lowest final round rating for the Buick Invitational in three years.
Figure skating.
3.8/6: U.S. Championships on NBC, Dance Final, Women’s Free Skate (8 PM Sat.)
3.5/5: U.S. Championships on NBC, Men’s Short Program, Men’s Free Skate (7 PM Sun.)
2.0/4: U.S. Championships on NBC, Pairs Finals, Women’s Short Program (4 PM Sat.)
- While NBC is touting higher ratings for figure skating coverage, those increases come with some caveats. The 3.8 for Ladies coverage on Saturday night marks a 65% increase over comparable coverage last year, when the event aired in the afternoon. However, compared to the last prime-time skating event in 2006, the 3.8 rating marks a 19% decline.
- Meanwhile, while NBC estimates a 500% increase in ratings for Men’s figure skating coverage on Sunday night, most of that increase is due to the event airing on broadcast on the most watched night of the week, as opposed to the afternoon on cable last year.
Other.
1.4: Winter X Games on ABC (3 PM Saturday)
1.1/3: Monster Energy AMA Supercross on CBS (12 PM Sunday)
1.1/2: Jeep World of Adventure on NBC (5 PM Sunday)
0.9: Auto racing on FOX, Rolex 24 at Daytona (1 PM Saturday)
0.8/2: Skiing on NBC, USSA Nature Valley Freestyle Cup (3:30 PM Sunday)
- The Winter X Games held its own over the weekend; the 1.4 overnight for coverage on ABC Saturday afternoon is even with comparable coverage last year.
