NBA TV ratings continue to impress early in the new season.
Warriors-Celtics scored a 1.8 rating and 3.0 million viewers on the NBA on TNT Thursday night, up 350% in ratings and 393% in viewership from Sixers-T’Wolves last year (0.4, 609K) and up 64% and 85% respectively from Bucks-Cavaliers in 2015 (1.1, 1.6M).
Boston’s last-second win delivered the NBA’s largest audience since Opening Night.
The numbers were especially strong given the Thursday Night Football competition on NBC (8.2, 13.5M). On the seven previous nights that the NBA on TNT aired opposite TNF on broadcast television, the NBA averaged just 1.1 million viewers.
Later in the night, Rockets-Suns had a 0.8 and 1.3 million — nothing special, but up 60% and 77% respectively from Bulls-Jazz last year (0.5, 734K).
Thursday was no outlier. On ESPN Wednesday night, Sixers-Lakers had a 1.4 (+36%) and 2.1 million (+32%) and Cavaliers-Hornets a 1.3 (+2%) and 2.0 million (+2%). ESPN’s figures include streaming viewership on television and are compared to last year’s TV-only numbers.
Rounding out the recent action, Bucks-Spurs had a 1.0 and 1.6 million on ESPN last Friday.
Through last night, NBA games have averaged 2.1 million viewers on TNT and ESPN — up 15% from last year (1.81M) and up 13% from 2015 (1.84M). There have been more telecasts (27) than at the same point last year (21).
