Though down slightly from last year, Thursday’s Warriors/Cavaliers clash did well for TNT. In other news, CBS and FOX had a rough weekend of college basketball coverage, and the Minnesota Timberwolves generated a season-high local rating for Kevin Garnett‘s return.
Rare Decline, But Good Numbers, For Warriors/Cavaliers
- Thursday’s Warriors/Cavaliers NBA regular season game drew 2.6 million viewers on TNT, down 3% from Knicks/Heat last year (2.7M), up 107% from Sixers/Bulls in 2013 (1.3M), and the largest NBA audience on cable since Christmas Day. The game was just the second Cavaliers telecast of the season to have a decline in viewership. Later in the night, Thunder/Suns drew 1.5 million — up 24% from Nets/Nuggets last year (1.2M) but down 8% from Wolves/Lakers in 2013 (1.7M). (via TV By the Numbers)
College Hoops Down on CBS, Low on FOX
- CBS earned a 1.2 final rating and 1.8 million viewers for last Sunday’s Ohio State/Michigan college basketball game, down 14% in ratings and 18% in viewership from Michigan State/Michigan last year (1.4, 2.2M). Florida/LSU the previous day drew a mere 0.6 and 878,000, down 46% and 47%, respectively, from last year’s comparable regional window (1.1, 1.7M). Over on FOX, Villanova/Marquette drew a 0.4 and 453,000, and Seton Hall/St. John’s a 0.3 and 444,000 — the network’s fifth and sixth telecasts this season to slip below 500,000 viewers. (via Sports Business Daily)
Garnett’s Return Lifts T’Wolves Ratings
- Fox Sports North drew a 4.04 rating for Wednesday’s Wizards/T’Wolves game, the network’s highest T’Wolves rating of the season and third-highest in the past three. The game marked the return of T’Wolves F Kevin Garnett, who was traded back to the team last week after a seven-year absence. To put the numbers in perspective, T’Wolves games averaged a 1.18 rating during the first half of the season, according to Sports Business Journal (bizjournals.com via Sports Business Daily)
