Facing the World Series, ESPN started its NBA season on a down note. In other news, TNT posted big gains for its Thursday NBA doubleheader, and the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating delivered improved numbers last weekend.
ESPN Opens NBA Season With Declines
- Wednesday’s Rockets/Lakers NBA regular season game had a 1.3 final rating and 2.0 million viewers on ESPN, down 19% in ratings and 15% in viewership from T’Wolves/Lakers last year (1.6, 2.4M) but up 18% and 17%, respectively, from Thunder/Blazers in 2014 (1.1, 1.7M). Earlier in the night, Thunder/Sixers had a 1.0 and 1.6 million — down 17% in ratings and 13% in viewership from Spurs/Thunder last year (1.2, 1.8M) and down 9% and 6%, respectively, from Bulls/Knicks in ’14 (1.1, 1.7M). Both games aired opposite Game 2 of the World Series, with Thunder/Sixers bearing the brunt of the competition.
Big Gains For NBA on TNT Thursday
- Celtics/Bulls had a 1.2 final rating and 2.0 million viewers on TNT Thursday, up 84% in viewership from Hawks/Knicks last year, ratings for which were unavailable (1.1M), but down 54% and 51%, respectively, from Knicks/Cavaliers in 2014 (2.6, 4.0M). In the nightcap, Clippers/Blazers had a 1.1 and 1.7 million — up 10% in ratings and 20% in viewership from Mavericks/Clippers last year (1.0, 1.4M) but down 27% and 20%, respectively, from Thunder/Clippers in 2014 (1.5, 2.1M). TNT benefited from lighter Thursday Night Football competition, as Titans/Jaguars (5.1M) fell 71% from last year (17.5M).
ISU GP Skate America Hits Three-Year High
- Coverage of Skate America, the first event in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, had a 0.7 final rating and 1.0 million viewers on NBC last Saturday afternoon — flat in ratings and up 8% in viewership from last year (0.7, 944K) and up a tick and 17%, respectively, from 2014 (0.6, 870K). It earned the largest audience for the event since 2013 (1.3M). The following day, additional coverage had a 0.6 and 820,000; there was no comparable window last year.
(Numbers via Programming Insider 10/27, 10/28; Sports Business Daily 10/28)
