Ratings Roundup: Tiger’s Return, NBA, Premier League

Final round coverage of the World Challenge golf tournament, Tiger Woods‘ return to competitive play after an 11-month layoff, had a 1.2 rating and 1.8 million viewers on NBC last Sunday — up 20% in ratings and 26% in viewership from last year (1.0, 1.4M) and up 100% and 111% respectively from 2015, when Woods did not play (0.6, 835K). It was the highest rated and most-watched Sunday of the tournament since Woods finished second in 2013 (1.4, 2.1M).

The previous day’s third round action was actually stronger with a 1.3 and 1.8 million, but that was down a tick and 11% respectively from last year’s 1.4 and 2.0 million.

Wednesday’s Warriors-Hornets NBA regular season game delivered a 1.0 rating and 1.6 million viewers on ESPN, down 17% in ratings and 15% in viewership from Cavaliers-Knicks last year (1.2, 1.8M) but up 25% and 27% respectively from Bulls-Celtics in 2015 (0.8, 1.2M). ESPN’s broadcast was blacked out in the Bay Area.

The Timberwolves-Clippers nightcap had a 0.7 (-53%) and 1.0 million (-56%). Last year’s comparable window pit the Warriors against the Clippers (1.5, 2.4M).

On TNT Thursday, Lakers-Sixers posted a 0.8 rating and 1.3 million viewers (+79%), while Rockets-Jazz had a 0.6 (-14%) and 941,000 (-9%). Despite the mostly down week, NBA viewership on ESPN and TNT was still up 17% entering Friday’s games (from 1.68M to 1.97M).

NBC drew a 0.7 rating and 1.02 million viewers for last week’s Arsenal-Manchester United English Premier League match, up a tick in ratings and 11% in viewership from last year (West Ham-Arsenal: 0.6, 917K) and even with 2015 (Leicester City-Manchester City). It delivered the third-largest audience of the season, behind Liverpool-Chelsea the previous week (1.05M) and Manchester City-Leicester City in week three (1.07M).

Over on NBCSN, Manchester City-West Ham had a 0.25 rating (-29%) and 392,000 viewers (-29%) last Sunday, and Brighton-Liverpool a 0.22 (flat) and 323,000 (-10%) the previous morning.