Ratings: MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR Xfinity

Thursday’s Mariners-A’s Major League Baseball game from Tokyo, which marked the final MLB appearance for Mariners OF Ichiro Suzuki, earned 311,000 viewers on ESPN. Despite the 5:30 AM ET start time, the game outperformed both of ESPN’s Spring Training games this season, Pirates-Red Sox on March 6 (260K) and Twins-Red Sox on March 7 (291K).

Wednesday’s game between the teams had 187,000 viewers. The last time the MLB season opened overseas, 2014, a two-game Dodgers-Diamondbacks series in Australia averaged 179,000 on MLB Network.

Wednesday’s Celtics-Sixers NBA regular season game earned a 1.0 rating and 1.47 million viewers on ESPN, down 17% in ratings and 20% in viewership from last year (Raptors-Cavaliers: 1.2, 1.85M), but up 47% and 43% respectively from 2017 (Hawks-Wizards: 0.7, 1.03M).

Later in the night, Raptors-Thunder had a 0.95 (-8%) and 1.39 million (-10%).

Lightning-Capitals scored a 0.29 rating and 451,000 viewers on the latest edition of NHL Wednesday Night Hockey on NBCSN, down 6% in ratings and 12% in viewership from last year (Bruins-Blues: 0.31, 513K), but up 5% in the latter measure from 2017 (Islanders-Rangers: 429K). Ratings for the 2017 game were not available.

In the nightcap, Jets-Ducks drew 172,000. There were no comparable windows last year or in 2017.

NASCAR Xfinity Series racing from Fontana (Ca.) delivered a 0.6 rating and 993,000 viewers on FS1 last Saturday, down 19% in ratings and 16% in viewership from last year (0.8, 1.19M) and down 34% and 32% respectively from 2017 (0.9, 1.46M). All five Xfinity Series races have declined from last year, even as the last three Cup Series races have increased.