On the first night of the Major League Baseball season, the NBA took center stage in the ratings.
Wednesday’s Thunder/Heat NBA regular season game drew a 2.0 U.S. rating and 2.977 million viewers on ESPN2, up 67% in ratings and 73% in viewership from last year (MIL/MIA: 1.2, 1.718M, ESPN). The game earned the highest coverage area rating (2.3) ever for an NBA telecast on ESPN2, regular season or playoffs.
Thunder/Heat was originally scheduled to air on ESPN, but moved to ESPN2 to make room for the Cardinals/Marlins MLB Opening Night game.
In the second half of the split-network doubleheader, Lakers/Clippers earned a 1.7 and 2.421 million on ESPN, up 13% in ratings and flat in viewership compared to last year (LAL/GS: 1.5, 2.416M).
Both games outdrew the previously mentioned Cardinals/Marlins MLB opener on ESPN.
(Wednesday’s numbers obtained from ESPN)
