Even in a rout, Cavs-Pacers ratings soared in the metered markets Friday night. Also: ratings for the surging PGA Tour; F.A. Cup and Premier League; and NASCAR Xfinity Series and NHRA.
Overnights Up Big For Game 6 Doubleheader on ESPN
Later in the night, Thunder-Jazz Game 6 scored a 2.8 overnight (+40%). It had a 9.4 in Oklahoma City and a 9.2 in Salt Lake City, figures that again do not include local RSN viewership.
PGA Ratings Hot Streak Continues at Texas Open
Third round action on last Saturday pulled a 1.1 (+16%) and 1.6 million (+17%), marking the event’s largest third round audience since 2015 (1.9M).
Thirteen of the past 14 PGA rounds on broadcast television have hit a multi-year high in ratings and/or viewership, including the last eight straight. For the season, 20 of 26 windows have hit a high.
Lead-in coverage on Golf Channel had a 0.33 (+14%) and 482,000 (+25%) last Saturday and a 0.37 (+8%) and 599,000 (+7%) last Sunday.
Man. U.-Tottenham F.A. Cup Semi Trounces EPL
The match cruised past all of last weekend’s Premier League matches. Manchester City-Swansea topped the EPL slate with just 294,000 viewers on NBCSN last Sunday (-56%). The previous day, Watford-Crystal Palace drew 286,000 (+41%) and West Brom-Liverpool 228,000.
NASCAR Xfinity, NHRA, Both Down Last Weekend
In other racing action, NHRA eliminations from Houston had a 0.31 (-3%) and 472,000 (-4%) last Sunday. All five NHRA eliminations this season have posted a decline in ratings and/or viewership. Figures were not available for the IndyCar Grand Prix of Alabama, which was postponed due to rain.
[Numbers from ESPN PR 4.28; Nielsen via ShowBuzz Daily 4.24, Programming Insider 4.23]
