The first two rounds of the NBA Playoffs were not only the highest rated and most-viewed ever on Turner Sports, but in all of cable television history.
TNT averaged a 3.0 U.S. rating and 4.823 million viewers for first and second round coverage of the 2011 NBA Playoffs (35 games), up 25% in ratings and 33% in viewership from last year (2.4, 3.638M), and all-time cable television records for the first two rounds of the postseason.
In particular, second round coverage averaged a 3.7 and 6.001 million viewers, up 23% in ratings and 28% in viewership from last year (3.0, 4.687M), and up 12% and 18%, respectively, from 2009 (3.3, 5.073M). The second round was the highest rated and most-viewed ever on cable, topping the previous viewership record set in the aforementioned 2009 postseason.
Second round coverage concluded Wednesday night. The series-clinching Game 5 between the Celtics and Heat earned a 4.3 U.S. rating and 6.777 million viewers, while Grizzlies/Thunder Game 5 drew a 3.4 and 5.462 million. There were no games on the comparable night last year.
The record numbers for the second round on TNT on come on the heels of records for the network’s first round (2.7, 4.179M) and regular season (1.6, 2.453M) coverage.
Overall, TNT’s postseason viewership has increased by at least a third in all key adult and male demographics (18-34, 18-49 and 25-54), topped by a 41% rise among men 18-34. Viewership has also risen by 31% among viewers with a household income of $100,000, and by 40% among viewers with an income of $125,000.
During the second round, TNT was the top network (broadcast or cable) in primetime on six separate nights among men 18-34, and on five nights among men 18-49.
Ratings/Viewership For the Second Round of the NBA Playoffs on TNT, Compared to 2010
|
Date
|
2011
|
2010
|
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Time
|
Game
|
#
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers
|
Game
|
Rating
|
Viewers
|
|
| Mon., 5/2/11 | 8:00 PM | ATL 103, CHI 95 |
1
|
TNT |
3.4
|
5,588
|
BOS 104, CLE 86 |
3.5
|
5,499
|
| 10:30 PM | DAL 96, LAL 94 |
1
|
TNT |
4.0
|
6,429
|
SA 102, PHX 111 |
2.7
|
4,110
|
|
| Tue., 5/3/11 | 7:00 PM | BOS 91, MIA 102 |
2
|
TNT |
3.7
|
6,006
|
ATL 71, ORL 114 |
1.9
|
2,977
|
| 9:30 PM | MEM 102, OKC 111 |
2
|
TNT |
3.2
|
4,867
|
UTA 103, LAL 111 |
3.0
|
4,668
|
|
| Wed., 5/4/11 | 8:00 PM | ATL 73, CHI 86 |
2
|
TNT |
3.3
|
5,211
|
SA 102, PHX 110 |
2.6
|
3,999
|
| 10:30 PM | DAL 93, LAL 81 |
2
|
TNT |
4.5
|
7,036
|
no comparable game last year
|
|||
| Sun., 5/8/11 | 8:00 PM | CHI 88, ATL 100 |
4
|
TNT |
3.8
|
6,260
|
PHX 107, SA 101 |
2.8
|
4,577
|
| Mon., 5/9/11 | 7:00 PM | MIA 98, BOS 90 |
4
|
TNT |
4.7
|
7,824
|
ORL 98, ATL 84 |
2.3
|
3,400
|
| 9:30 PM | OKC 133, MEM 123 |
4
|
TNT |
3.5
|
5,592
|
LAL 111, UTA 96 |
3.2
|
5,079
|
|
| Tue., 5/10/11 | 8:15 PM | ATL 83, CHI 95 |
5
|
TNT |
3.3
|
5,100
|
BOS 120, CLE 88 |
4.2
|
6,737
|
| Wed., 5/11/11 | 7:00 PM | BOS 87, MIA 97 |
5
|
TNT |
4.3
|
6,777
|
no comparable game last year
|
||
| 9:30 PM | MEM 72, OKC 99 |
5
|
TNT |
3.4
|
5,462
|
no comparable game last year
|
|||
(Numbers from Turner Sports)
