2019-20 has not been the best of times for the NBA, ratings included.
NBA regular season games averaged 1.64 million viewers on ESPN/ABC and TNT through the All-Star break, down 13% from last year (1.88M). That does not include Clippers-Celtics on TNT last Thursday, accurate figures for which were not available due to a Nielsen processing error.
While injuries are not solely to blame for the declines, they have been a factor. The delayed debut of Pelicans #1 pick Zion Williamson had a pronounced impact. New Orleans played 12 nationally televised games prior to Williamson’s January 22 debut, with those averaging a below-average 1.3 million viewers. By comparison, Williamson’s first four national games averaged 2.0 million.
Still, injuries only explain part of the downward trend, which has not been limited to national TV. Sports Business Journal reported this week that local NBA ratings were down 13% across 27 regional sports networks (excluding Grizzlies, Jazz and Raptors games).
The sub-.500 Spurs are averaging the highest local rating in the league, but their 3.51 rating on Fox Sports Southwest is down 20% from last season. Per SBJ, fourteen teams have posted declines thus far.
On the positive side, local ratings are up 24% for the Bucks on Fox Sports Midwest (to 3.45) and 19% for the Sixers on NBC Sports Philadelphia (to 3.3), with the teams on pace for their highest rated seasons on the respective networks. Lakers ratings are also up 23% on Spectrum SportsNet (to 3.14), Heat ratings up 39% on Fox Sports Sun (to 2.86), and Clippers ratings up a league-leading 86% on Fox Sports Prime Ticket (to 0.97).
Pelicans ratings are down 47% on Fox Sports New Orleans, but the team’s games have averaged a 1.8 rating since Zion Williamson’s season-debut — up 118% from the 0.8 they were averaging beforehand.
Nationally, the Lakers, Rockets and Clippers rank as the three most-watched teams across ESPN/ABC and TNT.
[Nielsen estimates from NBA, Sports Business Journal 2.17, Crain’s Cleveland 2.20, Atlanta Journal-Constitution 2.17]
