UConn’s penultimate game in the Women’s NCAA Tournament scored a big ratings bump. Meanwhile, the Warriors delivered a pair of big increases this week, and while recent NHL viewership dipped on NBC and NBCSN.
UConn-Louisville tops Women’s Elite Eight
Last Sunday’s Connecticut-Louisville Women’s NCAA Tournament regional final earned a 0.9 rating and 1.29 million viewers on ESPN, up 80% in ratings and 71% in viewership from last year (Louisville-Oregon State: 0.5, 753K) and up 29% and 28% respectively from 2017 (Stanford-Notre Dame: 0.7, 1.01M).
The Huskies’ win delivered the largest audience of the tournament. Compared to their Elite Eight game last year, against Oregon on a Monday night, ratings were flat and viewership fell 2% from 1.31 million.
Later in the day, Oregon-Mississippi State drew a 0.7 and 1.08 million — up 17% in ratings and 3% in viewership from last year (Mississippi State-UCLA: 0.6, 1.04M), but down 13% and 18% respectively from 2017 (Mississippi State-Baylor: 0.8, 1.31M). Those games aired in primetime.
On Monday night, Baylor-Iowa drew a 0.6 (-33%) and 942,000 (-28%), and Notre Dame-Stanford a 0.7 (-22%) and 1.09 million (-19%), both on ESPN2. Last year’s games aired on ESPN.
Warriors boost NBA in final days of season
Warriors-Lakers scored a 1.05 rating and 1.68 million viewers on the NBA on TNT Thursday night, up 46% in ratings and 56% in viewership from last year (Timberwolves-Nuggets: 0.7, 1.08M), and up 61% in the latter measure from 2017 (T’Wolves-Blazers: 1.04M).
Earlier in the night, Bucks-Sixers had a 1.0 (-16%) and 1.58 million (-10%).
On Tuesday, Nuggets-Warriors drew a 1.1 and 1.66 million on TNT — up 57% in ratings and 66% in viewership from last year (Spurs-Clippers: 0.7, 1.00M), but down 8% and 10% respectively from 2017 (T’Wolves-Warriors: 1.2, 1.84M).
Lakers-Thunder had a 0.7 (-46%) and 1.17 million (-43%) earlier in the night.
Down week for NHL on NBC, NBCSN
Rangers-Flyers scored a 0.5 rating and 757,000 viewers on the NHL on NBC last Sunday, down 38% in ratings and 39% in viewership from last year (Bruins-Flyers: 0.8, 1.25M), and down 38% and 37% respectively from 2017 (Bruins-Blackhawks: 0.8, 1.20M). Those games did not face competition from the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.
Later in the night, Bruins-Red Wings drew a 0.23 (-23%) and 363,000 (-33%) on NBCSN.
Shifting to the workweek, NBCSN drew a 0.22 and 352,000 (flat) for Blues-Blackhawks Wednesday night; a 0.21 and 365,000 for Avalanche-Blues on Monday; and 204,000 viewers for Bruins-Blue Jackets on Tuesday.
[Numbers from Nielsen via ShowBuzz Daily 4.3, Programming Insider 4.3 a, b, 4.4, 4.5]
