ESPN had a big boost in viewership for Friday’s NBA doubleheader. In other news, Michigan State/Michigan was over the weekend, though Saturday’s games were up substantially.
Big Increases For NBA Friday on ESPN
- ESPN earned 2.0 million viewers for the Grizzlies/Heat NBA regular season game Friday night, up 88% from Warriors/Sixers last year (1.1M), but down 3% from Thunder/Magic in 2011 (2.1M). The game earned an 8.7 in Memphis, the highest ever for a regular season game on ESPN in the market. Later Friday, Thunder/Nuggets also earned 2.0 million — up 48% from Clippers/Suns last year (1.3M), and up 22% from Nuggets/Blazers in 2011 (1.6M). On Sunday, Bulls/Pacers scored 1.7 million — down 27% from Bulls/Sixers last year (2.3M), and down 61% from Knicks/Heat in 2011 (4.2M). (Fri./Sun. numbers from The Futon Critic [1], [2])
MSU/Michigan Leads Weekend For CBS
- Sunday’s Michigan State/Michigan men’s college basketball game earned a 1.7 overnight rating on CBS, down 15% from both Ohio State/Michigan State last year and Ohio State/Wisconsin in 2011 (2.0). Earlier in the day, Florida State/North Carolina earned a 1.0 — even with Creighton/Illinois State last year (1.0), and down 17% from Indiana State/Missouri State in 2011 (1.2). Keep in mind the comparable weekend last year was the last of the regular season. (Weekend numbers from Sports Business Daily)
Saturday Tripleheader Up Big From Last Year, Even With 2011
- CBS scored a 1.4 overnight for Saturday’s Kentucky/Arkansas game, even with both Louisville/Syracuse last year and Villanova/Pittsburgh in 2011 (1.4). West Virginia/Kansas earned a 1.3 earlier in the day, up 44% from regional action last year (0.9), and even with regional action in 2011 (1.3). In the first game of the tripleheader, Louisville/Syracuse scored a 1.3 overnight — up 117% from Memphis/Tulsa last year (0.6), and even with Kansas/Missouri in 2011 (1.3). (Weekend numbers from Sports Business Daily)
