Numbers: Celtics-Cavs Ratings, Caps-Bolts, PBA

Even in a blowout, Saturday’s Celtics-Cavs ratings increased in the metered markets. Also: Capitals-Lightning overnights jumped on NBC, and ESPN’s final Pro Bowlers Association broadcast scored a double-digit bump.

Despite Rout, Celtics-Cavs Game 3 Overnights Up

Saturday’s Celtics-Cavaliers NBA Eastern Conference Finals Game 3 earned a 5.1 overnight rating on ESPN, up a tick from the same matchup on TNT last year, which aired on a Sunday (5.0), and up 21% from Cavs-Raptors in 2016 (4.2).

Compared to Warriors-Spurs in the same window last year, overnights rose 11% (from 4.6).

As can be expected given the Saturday night window — and the Cavaliers’ 30-point win — overnights fell 22% from Game 2 last Tuesday (6.5) and 6% from Game 1 on ABC last Sunday (5.4).

Cleveland led all markets with a 22.1 rating, followed by Boston (11.9). Secondary markets made up the rest of the top five, with Ohio markets Columbus (9.7) and Dayton (8.2) ranking third and fourth and Providence (8.0) fifth. [ESPN PR 5.20]

Caps-Lightning Overnights Strong Post-Preakness

Airing immediately after the Preakness Stakes, Game 5 of the Lightning-Capitals NHL Eastern Conference Final had a 2.1 overnight rating on NBC Saturday night — up 40% from Senators-Penguins on a Sunday afternoon last year (1.5). Compared to Predators-Ducks in the same post-Preakness window last year, overnights increased 17% from a 1.8.

Excluding Game 7s, the 2.1 is the highest NHL conference final overnight since 2015 (Ducks-Blackhawks Game 4: 2.2).

Game 5 had a 12.0 rating in Tampa-St. Petersburg, the market’s highest for an NHL game on the NBC family of networks, excluding the Stanley Cup Final. Washington D.C. chipped in a 7.1. Notably, Game 5 beat the Preakness by 12% in Tampa (10.7) but trailed the race by 31% in Washington (10.3). [NBC Sports PR/Twitter 5.20 a, b, c]

ESPN’s Final PBA Telecast Up

ESPN earned a 0.35 rating and 554,000 viewers for coverage of the Pro Bowlers Association Elias Cup Finals last Sunday, the final PBA event on the ESPN family of networks — up 13% in ratings and 10% in viewership from last year (0.31, 504K). Starting next season, the PBA Tour will move to Fox Sports. [ShowBuzz Daily 5.15]