The NBA season has opened with four straight declines. Also: the Pacers hit a 13-year opening night high; the NHL had a slow week on NBCSN; NASCAR’s Truck Series declined at Talladega.
NBA Ratings: Season Opens With Four Straight Declines
Wednesday’s Pelicans-Rockets NBA regular season game scored a 1.0 rating and 1.56 million viewers on ESPN, down 17% in ratings and viewership from last year (Sixers-Wizards: 1.2, 1.87M) and flat and down 1% respectively from 2016, when coverage aired opposite the World Series (Thunder-Sixers: 1.0 1.58M).
The Pelcians’ blowout win was ESPN’s least-watched NBA season opener since 2009, when New Orleans faced San Antonio (1.2M).
Later in the night, Mavericks-Suns drew a 0.8 and 1.21 million — down 38% in ratings and 42% in viewership from last year (Spurs-Timberwolves: 1.3, 2.07M) and down 38% and 40% respectively from 2016 (Rockets-Lakers: 1.3, 2.00M).
Neither of ESPN’s games Wednesday night could match the Warriors-Lakers preseason game on the network one week earlier (1.3, 1.98M). Ratings and viewership have now declined for the first four games on national television this season.
Pacers Score Highest Rated Opener Since ’05
The Indiana Pacers’ season opener against Memphis earned a 5.4 rating on Fox Sports Indiana, up 44% from last year against the Nets (3.8) and the team’s highest rated opener since 2005.
Down Week For NHL on NBCSN
Rangers-Capitals scored a 0.20 rating and 329,000 viewers on NBCSN’s Wednesday Night Hockey, down 23% in ratings and 21% in viewership from last year (Blackhawks-Blues: 0.26, 419K) and down 13% and 14% respectively from 2016 (Red Wings-Rangers: 0.23, 383K).
The Bruins-Flames nightcap had 162,000 (-5%). On Tuesday, Coyotes-Wild scored 197,000 (-2%).
Seven of the first nine NHL windows on NBCSN this season have declined.
NASCAR Trucks Down at Talladega
Last Saturday’s NASCAR Truck Series race from Talladega (Ala.) had a 0.7 rating and 962,000 viewers on FOX, flat in ratings and down 10% in viewership from last year (0.7, 1.07M) and down 22% and 25% respectively from 2016 (0.85, 1.29M).
[Numbers from Nielsen via Programming Insider 10.18, ShowBuzz Daily 10.17, Pacers.com 10.18]
