- Ratings increased by a quarter for the first week of Wimbledon on ESPN2. Through Monday, Wimbledon coverage averaged a 0.5 cable rating, up 25% from a 0.4 through the same period last year. NBC should see a similar jump for its coverage of the women’s final on Saturday, which features the Williams sisters.
- The success of the Tampa Bay Rays has led to record local television ratings. The Rays’ victory over the Red Sox on Tuesday drew a 9.1 rating on FSN Florida, the best rating ever for a Rays broadcast on the network. The 9.1 marks a “102% increase over FSN Florida’s previous record“, a 4.5 for Cubs/Rays last month.
- For the second straight year, TNT finished behind USA Network in the second quarter (March 31-June 29). Despite strong NBA ratings, TNT averaged a 1.9 rating in prime time, down 5% from last year. By contrast, fellow NBA rights partner ESPN had a record setting second quarter, averaging 704,000 households per 24 hours. The network averaged a 1.4 rating in prime time, up 17% from ’07.
On the Air: Wembanyama and the sports debate ‘villain’ playbook
On the latest "On the Air," Armand Broady examines the negative turn in perceptions of Victor Wembanyama and the...
