Though not as big as it could have been due to World Series competition, NBA Opening Night scored double-digit gains in the metered markets.
The Cavaliers/Bulls NBA Opening Night game had a 2.7 overnight rating on TNT Tuesday night, up 42% from Mavericks/Spurs last year (1.9) but down 36% from Bulls/Heat in 2013 (4.2). The 2013 game did not face World Series competition.
The 2.7 overnight is the lowest for an Opening Night game involving LeBron James since Cavaliers/Celtics in 2008 (2.1). The four games in between — Celtics/Cavaliers in 2009 (3.2), Heat/Celtics in 2010 (5.6), Celtics/Heat in 2012 (3.8) and Bulls/Heat in 2013 — each topped the 3.0 mark.
The Bulls’ narrow win drew a 16.8 rating in Cleveland, down 16% from 2009 — the last time the Cavaliers played on Opening Night (20.0). It had an 8.8 in Chicago, down 24% from the Bulls’ last Opening Night game in 2013 (11.5).
Turner Sports did not disclose overnights for the Pelicans/Warriors nightcap, though the game had an 8.9 in the Bay Area — the market’s highest for a regular season Warriors game on the network.
The full Opening Night doubleheader averaged a 2.3 overnight, up 15% from last year (2.0) but down 36% from 2013 (3.6). It should be noted that Opening Night faced tougher World Series competition than last year; Mets/Royals Game 1 had a 10.5 overnight on FOX, while last year’s Giants/Royals Game 6 had an 8.9. Prior to last year, Opening Night had not faced the World Series since 2001.
(Tue. overnights from twitter.com/turnersportspr [1], [2], [3], [4])
