Off to its best start in three years, the NFL on CBS hit a Week 5 high. Also: Anthony Davis’ Lakers debut set a TNT preseason high; the WNBA Finals hit a broadcast TV low; MLS regular season viewership increased on ESPN and ESPN2.
NFL on CBS still off to best start in three years
The Week 5 NFL singleheader, featuring Broncos-Chargers or Ravens-Steelers in most markets, averaged a 9.3 rating and 16.24 million viewers on CBS — the highest for the window in Week 5 of the season since 2016 on FOX (ft. Falcons-Broncos: 9.4, 16.45M).
The telecast, which also included New England-Washington in 22% of markets, increased 16% in ratings and 21% in viewership from last year (ft. Jaguars-Chiefs: 8.0, 13.38M) and 19% and 23% respectively from 2017 (7.8, 13.18M). Five of six Week 5 windows increased over last year.
CBS is now averaging 16.86 million viewers for the NFL season (+6%), the highest since 2016.
Davis’ Laker debut hits TNT preseason high
Saturday’s Lakers-Warriors NBA preseason game, which marked the Lakers debut of Anthony Davis, averaged a 0.7 rating and 1.17 million viewers on TNT — the network’s most-watched preseason game since at least 2012. The previous high was 929,000 for Nuggets-Lakers last year, LeBron James’ first Laker game at Staples Center.
WNBA Finals hits broadcast TV low
Sunday’s Mystics-Sun WNBA Finals Game 3 averaged a 0.31 rating and 425,000 viewers on ABC, marking the least-watched Finals game ever on broadcast television. The previous low was 450,000 for Dream-Storm Game 1 in 2010.
Compared to last year’s Finals game on ABC — Mystics-Storm Game 2 — ratings declined 21% (from 0.39) and viewership 22% (from 546K).
Washington’s win fell 11% in ratings and 18% in viewership from last year’s Game 3 clincher on ESPN2 (Storm-Mystics: 0.35, 519K). Versus the last non-clinching Game 3 (Lynx-Sparks on ESPN2 in 2017), ratings increased 15% (from 0.27) but viewership fell 2% (from 433K).
MLS regular season up on ESPN networks
ESPN and ESPN2 averaged 246,000 viewers for Major League Soccer coverage this season, up 2% from last year (241K). In particular, games on ESPN averaged 266,000 (+7%). The season average is exactly the same as what the WNBA averaged on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC during its regular season.
Portland led all markets for the regular season with an average rating of 0.8. Atlanta (0.5) ranked second, with Seattle, Cincinnati and Kansas City tying for third (0.4).
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 10.8, CBS Sports PR, ESPN PR 10.8]
