NFL singleheader ratings hit a multi-year low in Week 11. In other news, ESPN’s Friday NBA doubleheader increased from last year, and the LPGA season finale declined on ABC.
NFL Singleheader Hits Week 11 Low
The Week 11 NFL singleheader, featuring either Steelers-Jaguars or Broncos-Chargers in 78% of markets, had an 8.1 rating and 13.8 million viewers on CBS — down 14% in ratings and 12% in viewership from last year (ft. Washington-New Orleans: 9.4, 15.7M) and down 4% and 3% respectively from 2016 (ft. Bears-Giants: 8.4, 14.3M). Those games aired on FOX.
It was the lowest rated Week 11 singleheader since at least 2000 and the least-watched since 2003 (13.1M). Of the 11 singleheader windows this season, it was just the third to hit a multi-year low in ratings or viewership.
Friday NBA Up on ESPN
ESPN scored a 1.1 rating and 1.82 million viewers for Friday’s Raptors-Celtics NBA regular season game, flat in ratings and up 7% in viewership from last year (Thunder-Spurs: 1.1, 1.70M) but down 8% and 7% respectively from Warriors-Celtics in 2016 (1.2, 1.96M).
Later in the night, Bulls-Bucks drew a 1.1 and 1.70 million — up 22% in ratings and 27% in viewership from last year (Pelicans-Nuggets: 0.9, 1.35M) and up 38% and 33% respectively from 2016 (Clippers-Kings: 0.8, 1.28M).
The games were just the seventh and eighth on ESPN and TNT this season to increase. The networks have aired 29 games that can be compared to last year.
LPGA Finale Down on ABC
Final round coverage of the LPGA Tour season finale scored a 0.42 rating and 589,000 viewers on ABC last Sunday, down 16% in ratings and viewership from last year (0.50, 699K), but up 11% and 16% respectively from 2016 (0.38, 509K). Despite the decline, it trailed only last year as the most-watched round of the tournament since it moved to ABC in 2015.
[Numbers from CBS Sports, Nielsen via ShowBuzz Daily 11.20, Programming Insider 11.19]
