The second-to-last game of the Celtics-Wizards series posted double-digit increases on ESPN. In other news, NASCAR’s Kansas overnights could not meet last year’s low bar, and Derek Jeter‘s retirement ceremony was a hit for YES Network.
Penultimate Celtics-Wizards Game Up on ESPN
- Friday’s Celtics-Wizards NBA Playoffs Game 6 scored a 2.7 final rating and 4.3 million viewers on ESPN, up 13% in ratings and 14% in viewership from Raptors-Heat last year (2.4, 3.7M) and up 35% and 40% respectively from Hawks-Wizards in 2015 (2.0, 3.1M). It was the night’s top program on television in adults 18-49 (1.6), 18-34 (1.4) and 25-54 (1.7). The Wizards’ final win of the season pulled a 9.7 rating in Boston and a 7.9 in Washington D.C., each market’s highest NBA playoff rating on ESPN since 2012. (ShowBuzz Daily 5.15, ESPN PR/Twitter 5.13)
NASCAR Kansas Overnights Down Double-Digits
- NASCAR Cup Series racing from Kansas earned a 1.5 overnight rating on Fox Sports 1 Saturday night, down 17% from last year (1.8) but even with 2015, when coverage was pushed back to late night due to rain. The 1.5 is easily the lowest of the season for a regularly scheduled race, falling below the previous mark of 2.5 for Martinsville, also on FS1. (SBJ’s Adam Stern/Twitter 5.15)
Jeter Ceremony Big For YES
- Former Yankees SS Derek Jeter‘s retirement ceremony pulled a 5.79 rating and 724,000 viewers on YES Network in New York Sunday night, the RSN’s largest audience ever for a non-game program. The telecast peaked with a 7.42 and 952,000 from 7-7:15 PM ET. Ratings on ESPN, which also aired the ceremony and had exclusive rights to the game that followed, were not available. (YES)
