TV Ratings: Extra Hour Hurts “College Gameday” (Also: Heat/Pacers, Houston Rockets)

Television viewership declined for the expanded “College Gameday” during the 2013 season. In other news, Tuesday’s Heat/Pacers NBA game attracted record numbers both nationally and locally, and the Houston Rockets have had a substantial increase in ratings on CSN Houston.

“College Gameday” Down on ESPN

• ESPN’s expanded three-hour “College Gameday” pregame show averaged 1.8 million viewers during the 2013 season, down 10% from last year (2.0M), and down 12% from 2011 (2.1M). Prior to this year, the show aired for only two hours. Compared to same 9 AM-Noon window last year, which included an hour of “SportsCenter,” viewership increased 10%. (ESPN Media Zone)

Heat/Pacers Sets Records on NBA TV, FS Indiana

• Tuesday’s Heat/Pacers NBA regular season game drew 920,000 viewers on NBA TV, the network’s most-viewed telecast of any kind since becoming Nielsen rated in 2010. The previous high was 868,000 for a Lakers/Trail Blazers game in October 2012. Locally, Heat/Pacers drew a 9.33 rating on Fox Sports Indiana — the network’s highest rating ever for a Pacers regular season game — and a 9.6 on Sun Sports. (Turner Sports, Sports Business Daily)

Rockets Ratings Up 48% on CSN Houston

• Houston Rockets regular season games have averaged a 1.5 rating on Comcast SportsNet Houston, up 48% from the comparable point last year. By comparison, Fox Sports Houston averaged a 1.6 for Rockets games during the 2011-12 season. (Houston Chronicle)