First, the results of last week’s predictions.
Source: Sports Business Daily
| Sport | Game/Event | Net |
Prediction
|
Final rating
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golf | The Masters, Final Round | CBS |
8.8
|
8.3
|
| Ratings for the final round of golf’s biggest event fell to the lowest level in five years. The 8.3 rating for final round coverage of The Masters was off 3% from last year, and marks the lowest rating for the event since a 7.3 in 2004. | ||||
| NBA | Mavericks/Hornets | ABC |
1.4
|
1.5
|
| The New Orleans Hornets have not been a good draw for ABC. After two Hornets games drew ratings of 1.2 and 1.4 last season, the Hornets’ lone appearance on ABC this season drew a mere 1.5 — down 7% from a 1.6 for last year’s comparable Raptors/Pistons game. | ||||
| NBA | Celtics/Cavaliers | ABC |
2.1
|
2.0
|
| What was supposed to be a marquee matchup turned into a massive blowout, and that was reflected in the ratings. The 2.0 for the Cavaliers’ 31-point win over the Celtics marks a 17% decline from a 2.4 for Spurs/Lakers in ’08. | ||||
| MLB | Red Sox/Angels or other regional action | FOX |
2.3
|
1.9
|
| FOX began the 2009 MLB season with a double-digit drop in the ratings. The 1.9 for last week’s season debut of MLB on FOX was down 14% from a 2.2 for last year’s debut. | ||||
| MLB | Mets/Marlins | TBS |
0.6
|
N/A
|
| Ratings for Mets/Marlins last Sunday are currently unavailable. | ||||
| NHL | Red Wings/Blackhawks | NBC |
0.9
|
0.5
|
| The NHL season ended with a thud on NBC. The 0.5 final rating for last Sunday’s Red Wings/Blackhawks game is the lowest rating ever for an NHL game on broadcast television. | ||||
This week’s predictions:
| Sport | Game/Event | Date/Time | Net |
Prediction
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NBA | Bulls/Celtics Game 1 | 12:30 PM Saturday | ESPN |
2.0
|
| The 2009 NBA Playoffs begin in Boston Saturday afternoon, with the Celtics trying to defend their title without their biggest star. Despite Kevin Garnett‘s absence, expect this matchup of two of the most famous franchises in NBA history to draw strong ratings on ESPN. Last year’s comparable Wizards/Cavaliers game drew a 1.9 rating. | ||||
| NBA | Pistons/Cavaliers Game 1 | 3:00 PM Saturday | ABC |
2.5
|
| LeBron James may be one of the biggest stars in the NBA, but he may not be able to stop a steep decline in the ratings for the Pistons/Cavaliers Game 1. Last year’s comparable Suns/Spurs game drew a 3.2 rating and went to double-overtime. | ||||
| NBA | Mavericks/Spurs Game 1 | 8:00 PM Saturday | ESPN |
2.3
|
| The Spurs and Mavericks battle in the playoffs for the first time since their classic 2006 series. Look for a slight increase in ratings from the 2.1 for last year’s comparable Mavericks/Hornets game. | ||||
| NBA | Rockets/Blazers Game 1 | 10:30 PM Saturday | ESPN |
1.9
|
| The Blazers may be an exciting young team, but they remain unknown to most of the country. With a late start on the East Coast, expect a modest drop in ratings from the 2.1 for Jazz/Rockets last year. | ||||
| NBA | Jazz/Lakers Game 1 | 3:00 PM Sunday | ABC |
3.6
|
| The Lakers will always pull in good numbers. With L.A. playing a Jazz team that pushed them to six games last year and made the West Finals two years ago, look for a slight rise in ratings from a 3.5 for Nuggets/Lakers last year. | ||||
| NBA | 76ers/Magic Game 1 | 5:30 PM Sunday | TNT |
1.5
|
| This is a series that was made for NBA TV. Look for Game 1 to draw the lowest rating of the weekend. | ||||
| NBA | Heat/Hawks Game 1 | 8:00 PM Sunday | TNT |
1.9
|
| Dwyane Wade has reclaimed his status as one of the premiere players in the NBA, but the Heat have not been a spectacular draw this year. Against a good Hawks team that remains relatively unknown, look for ratings to drop from the 2.2 for Hawks/Celtics Game 1 in the same timeslot last year. | ||||
| NBA | Hornets/Nuggets Game 1 | 10:30 PM Sunday | TNT |
1.8
|
| The last playoff game of the weekend should draw decent ratings. There was no game in the comparable timeslot last year. | ||||
| NHL | Rangers/Capitals Game 2 | 1:00 PM Saturday | NBC |
1.0
|
| NBC begins its Stanley Cup Playoff coverage with one of the biggest stars in the NHL taking on the team from the biggest market in the country. Last year’s comparable Predators/Red Wings game drew a 0.8. | ||||
| NHL | Penguins/Flyers Game 3 | 3:00 PM Sunday | NBC |
0.9
|
| This rematch of last year’s Eastern Conferene Finals figures to put up strong numbers on NBC. Last year, Flyers/Capitals drew a 0.8. | ||||
| MLB | Indians/Yankees or other regional action | 3:30 PM Saturday | FOX |
2.3
|
| The Yankees playing at their new stadium should help baseball on FOX hold its own opposite the NBA Playoffs on ABC. | ||||
| NASCAR | Subway Fresh Fit 500 | 8:00 PM Saturday | FOX |
4.1
|
| On a weekend dominated by playoff coverage, NASCAR on FOX will easily draw the highest rating. Last year’s comparable race drew a 4.4. With every NASCAR race on FOX having seen a decline in ratings this season, expect lower numbers this time around. | ||||
