Ratings: TPC, NBA, NHL, PBC

Thursday’s opening round of The Players Championship earned 907,000 viewers on Golf Channel, down 10% from last year (1.01M), but up 34% from 2017 (676K). This year marks the first time since 2006 that the Players is taking place in the month of March. In the intervening years, it took place in May.

ESPN scored a 1.6 rating and 2.42 million viewers for Wednesday’s Warriors-Rockets NBA regular season game, up 30% in viewership from last year (Lakers-Warriors: 1.86M), and up 100% and 101% respectively from 2017 (Bucks-Clippers: 0.8, 1.20M). It was the most-watched NBA game on ESPN since Christmas Day.

Earlier in the night, Nets-Thunder had a 0.7 and 1.02 million — down 36% in ratings and 39% in viewership from last year (Wizards-Celtics: 1.1, 1.68M) and down 13% and 18% respectively from 2017 (Blazers-Spurs: 0.8, 1.25M).

On TNT Thursday night, Lakers-Raptors had a 0.7 and 1.09 million and Mavericks-Nuggets a 0.6 and 931,000. The Laker game was blacked out in Los Angeles. There were no comparable games on TNT last year, the first night of the NCAA Tournament.

Blackhawks-Maple Leafs scored 371,000 viewers on NBCSN’s NHL Wednesday Night Hockey this week, down 9% from last year (Penguins-Rangers: 408K) and down 41% from 2017 (Penguins-Flyers: 631K). Later in the night, Devils-Oilers had 159,000, down 25% from ’17 (Red Wings-Avalanche: 213K). There was no comparable window last year.

The latest edition of Premier Boxing Champions on FOX scored a 1.1 rating and 1.63 million viewers last Saturday night, up 22% in ratings and 18% in viewership from the previous telecast last month (0.9, 1.38M), but down 15% and 18% respectively from two months ago (1.3, 1.98M). There was no comparable meet last year.