Nielsens: NFL Ratings, NBA, College Hoops

NFL ratings increased on CBS last weekend, NFL Network capped off a decent season on a lower note, NBA viewership is up 17% entering the new year, and the CBS Sports Classic was less of a draw.

NFL Ratings: Season’s Final Singleheader Up on CBS

The Week 16 NFL singleheader, featuring Patriots-Bills in a plurality of markets, drew an 8.9 rating and 15.8 million viewers on CBS last Sunday — up 16% in ratings and 11% in viewership from last year (7.7, 14.2M) but down 13% and 10% respectively from 2015 (10.2, 17.6M). Last year’s telecast aired on a Saturday to avoid Christmas.

It was the most-watched singleheader of the season on CBS (eight telecasts), and the fifth-most watched overall. Of the 16 singleheader windows this season, it was just the third to post an increase in ratings or viewership.

NFL Network Ends Decent Season on Lower Note

Last Saturday’s Colts-Ravens NFL special had a 3.1 rating and 5.4 million viewers on NFL Network, down 3% in ratings and 14% in viewership from Bengals-Texans last year (3.2, 6.3M). This year’s game aired in the afternoon, while last year’s aired in primetime.

For the season, seven exclusive NFL Network games averaged a 3.6 rating and 6.1 million viewers — down a tick in ratings and 10% in viewership from last year (3.7, 6.7M). Keep in mind NFL Network aired an additional game last season, a Christmas Ravens-Steelers game that had a network-record 6.5 and 14.8 million. Excluding that game, this season increased 9% and 10% respectively from a 3.3 and 5.5 million.

NBA Enters 2018 Up 17%

Rockets-Celtics scored 1.7 million viewers on the NBA on TNT last night, up 8% from Celtics-Cavaliers last year (1.6M). Ratings were not immediately available. In the nightcap, Sixers-Blazers had 1.3 million (+4%)

Entering the new year, NBA regular season games have averaged 2.2 million viewers across ESPN, ABC and TNT — up 17% from last year (1.8M) and up 4% from 2015 (2.1M). As previously noted, the five-game Christmas schedule averaged 5.1 million viewers, up 12%.

CBS Sports Classic Down Last Weekend

UCLA-Kentucky drew a 1.4 rating and 2.3 million viewers in the second half of last Saturday’s CBS Sports Classic, down 36% in ratings and viewership from last year (Kentucky-UNC: 2.2, 3.6M) and down 13% and 4% respectively from 2015 (Ohio State-Kentucky: 1.6, 2.4M).

Earlier in the day, Ohio State-North Carolina had a 1.1 (-8%) and 1.7 million (-2%). Last year’s CBS Sports Classic aired later in the day.

[Numbers from ShowBuzz Daily 12.27, 12.29]