Ratings: NBA on ESPN, NHL on NBCSN, EPL

ESPN opened its NBA season on a higher note, the NHL posted a modest bump for Wednesday Night Rivalry, and the Premier League delivered another increase on NBC.

Ratings Rise For ESPN NBA Season Debut

Timberwolves-Spurs had a 1.3 rating and 2.03 million viewers in the season debut of ESPN’s NBA Wednesday, flat in ratings and up 1% in viewership from Rockets-Lakers last year (1.3, 2.00M) but down 19% and 14% respectively from Timberwolves-Lakers in 2015 (1.6, 2.4M).

Earlier in the night, Sixers-Wizards had a 1.2 (+20%) and 1.8 million (+16%). Last year’s comparable games aired opposite the World Series, while this year’s games aired opposite the League Championship Series.

Wednesday NHL Ratings Up on NBCSN

Blackhawks-Blues earned 419,000 viewers on NBCSN’s Wednesday Night Rivalry last night, up 9% from Red Wings-Rangers last year (383K) but down 21% from Flyers-Bruins in 2015 (530K). Ratings increased 13% year-over-year (from 0.23 to 0.26). Later in the night, Canadiens-Kings had 170,000.

Outside of opening night, Wednesday Night Rivalry has delivered the two largest audiences of the young season, with the previous week’s Penguins-Capitals matchup holding the top spot (447K).

In other recent NHL action, Tuesday’s Lightning-Devils game had 200,000 (+18%). Figures for the Canadiens-Sharks nightcap were not available.

EPL Ratings Up Again on NBC

Last Saturday’s Watford-Arsenal English Premier League match had a 0.45 rating and 668,000 viewers on the NBC broadcast network, up 2% in ratings and 11% in viewership from Crystal Palace-West Ham last year (0.44, 604K) but down 25% and 30% respectively from Chelsea-Southampton in 2015 (0.60, 948K).

All seven EPL windows on NBC have posted an increase in ratings and/or viewership, but that comes with a big caveat — four of the seven comparable windows last year aired on cable.

Earlier Saturday, NBCSN scored a 0.26 (+8%) and 393,000 (+9%) for Crystal Palace-Chelsea and a 0.29 (+81%) and 391,000 (+53%) for Liverpool-Manchester United. Southampton-Newcastle had a 0.22 (+22%) and 329,000 (+17%) on Sunday. Figures for other cable matches were not available.

[Numbers via Programming Insider 10.19, ShowBuzz Daily 10.17]

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Jon Lewis

Jon Lewis has been covering the sports media industry on a daily basis since 2006 as the founder and main writer of Sports Media Watch. You can contact him here or on the social media websites X (Twitter) or Bluesky.

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Comments 3

Samuel says:

9 years ago

I find it funny that the NHL is considered one of the four “major” sports but get basically equal to or lesser numbers than MLS. 419,000 is not good for the premiere game on NBCSN and 170,000 for the west coast game is atrocious. So much for hockey gaining in popularity.
- NextBigThing says:
  
  9 years ago
  
  It’s considered one of the four major sports because of its revenue. It blows the MLS out of the water.
  - tom says:
    
    9 years ago
    
    Probably will for awhile after the national team failed to make the World Cup. But in the long run? Yea I could see MLS passing NHL. Maybe another 10 years. Attendance figures are pretty impressive.