Despite doubling last year’s audience, the Warriors/Clippers rivalry appears to be losing steam on TV. In other news, Super Bowl Media Day viewership sank double-digits despite the addition of a third network, and the Pegasus World Cup put up solid numbers on NBC.
Warriors/Clippers Rivalry Up Big, But Hits Low
- Warriors/Clippers had 2.4 million viewers on the NBA on TNT Thursday, doubling Lakers/Pelicans last year (1.18M) and up 92% from Suns/Blazers in 2015 (1.23M). Ratings were not immediately available. Despite the jump, it was the least-watched game between the rivals since March 2015 (1.6M). The early Hawks/Rockets game had 1.5 million, up 49% from Knicks/Pistons last year (987K) but down 19% from Clippers/Cavaliers in 2015 (1.8M). On ESPN Wednesday, T’Wolves/Cavaliers also had 1.5 million — down 35% from Warriors/Wizards last year (2.3M) but up 32% from Bulls/Rockets in ’15 (1.1M). Bulls/Thunder had a 0.9 final rating (flat) and 1.5 million (+3%) later in the night.
Super Bowl Media Day Down Double-Digits Despite Adding Third Network
- Super Bowl Media Day scored 280,000 viewers on NFL Network and 206,000 on ESPN2 Monday night, down 32% and 27% respectively from last year (431K on NFLN, 281K on ESPN2). On Fox Sports 1, which did not air the event last year, coverage had 123,000. The three networks combined for an audience of 609,000 viewers, off 12% from last year’s two-network mark of 694,000.
Pegasus World Cup Solid Draw For NBC
- Last Saturday’s Pegasus World Cup horse race, which featured 2014 Triple Crown hopeful California Chrome and last year’s Breeders Cup champion Arrogate going for a $12 million purse, had a 1.1 final rating and 1.6 million viewers on NBC. Outside of the Triple Crown and Breeders Cup, it was the highest rated and most-watched horse racing telecast since the 2015 Travers Stakes — the penultimate race for Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (1.4, 2.0M).
(Numbers via ShowBuzz Daily 2.3, 2.2, 1.31; Sports TV Ratings 1.31)
