Nielsens: NBA Ratings, ACC, Tiger, NHL

The NBA ratings surge has not quite subsided, but the league’s lead over last season continues to narrow. In other news, the ACC Tournament quarterfinals hit a record-high, Tiger Woods‘ presence doubled Thursday’s PGA viewership, and the NHL neared a cable season-high.

Spurs-Warriors Leads Midweek NBA

NBA regular season games have averaged 1.97 million viewers across ESPN, ABC and TNT through Thursday, up 9% from last year (1.80M). The league’s lead over last season has steadily shrunk over the past few weeks. In early January, viewership was up 18%.

Topping the midweek slate, Spurs-Warriors scored a 1.3 rating and 2.1 million viewers on TNT Thursday — up 97% in ratings and 96% in viewership from last year (Lakers-Suns: 0.7, 1.05M) and up 18% and 16% respectively from 2016 (Cavaliers-Lakers: 1.1, 1.8M). Earlier in the night, Celtics-T’Wolves had a 0.9 (-12%) and 1.4 million (-14%).

On Wednesday, ESPN drew a 1.0 (-23%) and 1.4 million (-31%) for Cavaliers-Nuggets and a 0.8 (+25%) and 1.2 million (+24%) for Raptors-Pistons.

Finally, Rockets-Thunder drew a 1.2 and 1.9 million on TNT’s Players Only Tuesday — up 140% in ratings and 138% in viewership from last year (Pacers-Hornets: 0.5, 801K). Pelicans-Clippers had a 0.8 (+14%) and 1.2 million (+17%) in the nightcap.

ACC Quarterfinals Set Record

Thursday’s North Carolina-Miami ACC Tournament quarterfinal drew a 1.1 rating and 1.73 million viewers on ESPN, up 38% in ratings and 45% in viewership from last year (Notre Dame-W. Virginia: 0.8, 1.2M) and up 169% and 192% respectively from 2016 (VT-Miami: 0.42, 592K).

The Tar Heels’ win was the most-watched ACC Tournament quarterfinal on record. The previous mark was set in the previous game window, as Duke-Notre Dame drew a 1.1 and 1.71 million earlier in the night — up 57% in both measures from last year (Va. Tech-FSU: 0.7, 1.1M) and up 95% and 114% respectively from 2016 (UVA-GT: 0.55, 799K).

[Correction: post originally stated that the complete quarterfinal round was the most-watched on record, but that only applies to the primetime games.]

Tiger Boosts PGA at Tampa

Thursday’s first round of the PGA Tampa Bay Championship earned 864,000 viewers on Golf Channel, up 207% from last year (281K) and up 172% from 2016 (318K). Tiger Woods is playing in the tournament for the first time.

Pens-Flyers Strong on NBCSN

Penguins-Flyers scored a 0.38 rating and 652,000 viewers on this week’s NHL Wednesday Night Rivalry on NBCSN, a 68% increase in viewership over last year (Red Wings-Bruins: 388K), though down 19% and 12% respectively from 2016 (Blackhawks-Blues: 0.47, 739K). Not counting Opening Night, it was the most-watched game on cable this season.

[Numbers from Programming Insider 3.7, 3.8, 3.9; ShowBuzz Daily 3.9, ESPN PR/Twitter 3.9a, 3.9b]