The Lakers are fading fast on the court, but not in the ratings. Also: two of the NHL’s best teams gave NBCSN a big bump, NASCAR’s Xfinity and Truck Series went in opposite directions last weekend, and the AAF showed viewership growth on NFL Network.
Lakers still drawing as playoff hopes fade
Wednesday’s Pelicans-Lakers NBA regular season game scored a 1.1 rating and 1.61 million viewers on ESPN, up 22% in ratings and 19% in viewership from last year (Rockets-Clippers: 0.9, 1.35M) and up a tick and 4% respectively from 2017 (Rockets-Clippers: 1.0, 1.56M).
Five of the last six Laker games on ESPN, ABC and TNT have increased over last year.
Other games did not fare as well. Earlier in the night, Blazers-Celtics scored a 0.9 (-31%) and 1.40 million (-30%). On Thursday night, TNT drew a 1.1 (-15%) and 1.63 million (-19%) for Sixers-Thunder and a 0.85 (-1%) and 1.28 million (-0.3%). The declines were a return to the norm after a mostly positive start to the post-All-Star schedule.
Lightning-Bruins up big Thursday night
NBCSN scored a 0.32 rating and 509,000 viewers for Thursday’s Lightning-Bruins NHL regular season game, a 97% increase in viewership from last year (Penguins-Bruins: 258K), and a 141% increase from 2017 (Rangers-Bruins: 211K). Ratings for those games were not available.
On Wednesday night, Lightning-Rangers drew a 0.25 and 379,000 (+36%). The Blackhawks-Ducks nightcap chipped in 223,000 viewers. Rounding out the recent action, Kings-Lightning had 294,000 on Monday and Sabres-Flyers 259,000 on Tuesday (-3%).
NASCAR Xfinity down, Trucks up, at Atlanta
Last Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race from Atlanta earned a 0.7 rating and 1.08 million viewers on FS1, down a tick in ratings and 6% in viewership from last year (0.8, 1.15M) and down 22% and 21% respectively from 2017 (0.9, 1.36M).
The Truck Series race earlier in the day had a 0.6 (+2%) and 956,000 (+3%).
In other racing action, taped NHRA eliminations from Phoenix scored a 0.30 (+3%) and 472,000 (-3%). Live coverage of the previous day’s prelims actually did better, with a 0.32 and 509,000.
AAF posts week-over-week growth last weekend
Last Sunday’s San Antonio-San Diego Alliance of American Football game scored a 0.31 rating and 515,000 viewers on NFL Network, up 15% in ratings and 21% in viewership from Atlanta-San Diego in the same window the previous week (0.27, 425K). The previous night, Memphis-Orlando drew a 0.29 and 491,000 — up 12% and 15% respectively from the previous week (Arizona-Memphis: 0.26, 424K).
[Numbers from Nielsen via Programming Insider 2.28, 3.1, ShowBuzz Daily 2.26]
