- ESPN drew a 3.3 national rating with 5.3 million viewers for its coverage of the 3M Performance 400 on Sunday, up 154% and 195% from a 1.3 with 1.8 million for last year’s rain delayed race, which aired on a Tuesday morning on ESPN2. Compared to the last time the race was run as regularly scheduled, the 3.3 and 5.3 million viewers is down 18% and 17% from a 4.1 with 6.4 million for the 2006 race, which aired on TNT.
- The 2008 Beijing Olympics are not just drawing superb ratings on NBC. Cable networks USA and MSNBC have each seen double-digit increases in ratings compared to 2004. USA Network averaged 960,000 viewers for the Olympics through Sunday, up 20% from Athens in 2004. Meanwhile, MSNBC is averaging 650,000 viewers, up 22% from 2004. CNBC averaged 606,000 viewers through Sunday, flat with 2004. Oxygen, televising its first Olympics, is averaging 658,000 viewers, up 141% from the previous four weeks.
- In Chicago, the Olympics are having a negative effect on the ratings for Chicago Cubs and Chicago Bears telecasts. Prime time Cubs telecasts are down 11% since the Olympics began, while Bears’ second preseason game on Saturday drew an 8.1/14 rating, down 58% from the team’s first preseason game, which took place the day before the Opening Ceremonies.
News: March Madness expansion, Russell Wilson, Nexstar and more
The NCAA basketball tournaments are officially expanding to 76 teams; Russell Wilson is mulling between playing football and starting...
