The NBA on TNT is off to a rough start in the ratings. Also: a good week for the NHL on NBCSN, and miscellaneous numbers for college basketball, NASCAR’s Xfinity Series and the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating.
Rough going for NBA on TNT; L.A. teams drawing well
TNT averaged a 0.6 rating and 909,000 viewers for Mavericks-Knicks and a 0.49 and 766,000 for Nets-Nuggets Thursday, marking the network’s sixth-straight NBA games with fewer than a million viewers. Including ESPN, nine games have failed to crack the million viewer mark thus far, compared to 19 all of last season.
Ratings fell 22% and viewership 18% for New York’s win (vs. Rockets-Thunder: 0.7, 1.12M); Denver’s win sank 51% in both measures (vs. Bucks-Warriors: 1.0, 1.57M). Eight of ten TNT games have declined from last year.
On Wednesday night, ESPN averaged a 1.3 rating (-7%) and 1.99 million viewers (-10%) for Warriors-Lakers — marking the fifth-largest audience of the young season. The Lakers have played in three of the top five.
Earlier in the night, Clippers-Rockets averaged a 1.1 (+10%) and 1.66 million (+10%). Of the seven windows on ESPN/TNT to increase over last season, the Clippers have played in three.
Week of increases for NHL on NBCSN
NBCSN averaged a 0.29 rating and 465,000 viewers for Capitals-Flyers on NHL Wednesday Night Hockey this week, marking the third-largest audience of the young season (21 telecasts). Only Capitals-Blues on Opening Night (724K) and Avalanche-Penguins on October 16 (636K) rank higher.
Ratings increased 12% and viewership 14% from last year (Blues-Blackhawks: 0.26, 407K), but declined 9% and 14% respectively from 2017 (Rangers-Blackhawks: 0.32, 541K).
The Blackhawks-Golden Knights nightcap had a 0.19 and 289,000 (+26%). On Tuesday night, Penguins-Rangers drew a 0.23 and 344,000 (+42%).
Miscellaneous: College hoops, NASCAR Xfinity, ISU GP
Tuesday’s Memphis-Oregon men’s college basketball game averaged a 0.5 rating and 902,000 viewers on ESPN, ranking third for the week-old season. … NASCAR’s Xfinity Series at Phoenix drew a 0.7 (-22%) and 1.11 million (-20%) on NBC last Saturday, both three-year lows. … The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Cup of China had a 0.6 and 877,000 on NBC last Sunday, down a third and 29% respectively from the last time it was held in 2017 (0.9, 1.23M).
[Nielsen estimates from Programming Insider 11.13, 11.14, 11.15; ShowBuzz Daily 11.12]
