Lakers/Rockets put up solid numbers for ABC on Sunday, but ratings could have been much higher had the games not aired locally in Houston and Los Angeles.
ABC drew a 2.9 overnight for the Rockets 22nd straight win Sunday afternoon, up 81% from the comparable game last year, Mavericks/Pistons. Keep in mind Mavericks/Pistons aired opposite the NCAA Tournament; when compared to the NBA game on Selection Sunday last year, the increase for Lakers/Rockets is even bigger (93%).
The 2.9 overnight ties Lakers/Heat on February 10 as the third-highest overnight for an NBA game this season, excluding Christmas.
Despite the solid outing, ratings for this game could have been even higher had it aired exclusively on ABC. Because Lakers/Rockets increased the amount of Laker games on ABC to six, one above the maximum, the network could not broadcast the game exclusively in the Los Angeles market. Because the Lakers were given the right to air the game on their local outlet, the Rockets received the same right, meaning the game aired on three networks — and six outlets in total.
The cannibalizing of ratings in two of the biggest markets Los Angeles (#2) and Houston (#10) likely kept this game from being the highest rated regular season game in years.
Affiliate trouble hurt ABC for the Hornets/Pistons game at 1:00 PM. Because the extra game was added to ABC’s schedule on such short notice, ABC affiliates in several markets, including Seattle, Baltimore and Columbus, preempted the game for regularly scheduled programming. That, and the fact that the Pistons blew away the Hornets, resulted in a 1.8 overnight for the game, the lowest of the season so far for ABC.
