Ratings: Duke-UNC, NBA, PGA Tour and more

Last Saturday’s Duke-North Carolina men’s college basketball game averaged a 1.1 rating and 1.87 million viewers on ESPN, marking the lowest rated and least-watched game between the rivals since at least 2007. Ratings fell 31% and viewership 30% from their first meeting last season (1.6, 2.67M) and 59% and 57% respectively from their first in 2019 — which (briefly) involved Zion Williamson (2.7, 4.34M).

Despite the low numbers, the Tar Heels’ win delivered the fourth-largest audience of the college basketball season — behind Michigan State-Duke in the Champions Classic (1.96M), Wisconsin-Michigan State on Christmas Day (1.98M), and Oklahoma-Kansas following an NFL playoff game last month (2.00M).

Airing immediately after, Tennessee-Kentucky averaged a 0.9 and 1.57 million — down 47% and 48% respectively from the same matchup last year, when both teams were ranked in the top five (1.75, 3.01M). ESPN also posted big declines for Arkansas-Kentucky (836K, -43%) and West Virginia-Texas Tech (634K, -66%) on Tuesday and Oklahoma State-Kansas (630K, -47%) on Monday.

As for the broadcast networks, none of the eight games on ABC, CBS and FOX last weekend cracked even an 0.8 rating or 1.2 million viewers.

Warriors-Mavericks averaged a 1.25 rating and 2.23 million viewers on ABC’s NBA Saturday Primetime last weekend, down 29% in ratings and 23% in viewership from Lakers-Warriors on the same weekend last year (1.8, 2.88M) and down 26% and 16% respectively from 2019 (Thunder-Rockets: 1.7, 2.67M).

The previous night, ESPN posted a 0.8 (+8%) and 1.29 million (+14%) for Celtics-Clippers and a 0.7 (+13%) and 1.13 million (+14%) for Raptors-Nets. Shifting to this week, TNT drew just 893,000 viewers for Celtics-Jazz (-28%) and 891,000 for Rockets-Pelicans (-17%) on Tuesday.

Final round coverage of the PGA Tour Phoenix Open averaged a 2.1 rating and 3.69 million viewers on NBC Super Bowl Sunday, up 20% in ratings and 29% in viewership from last year (1.75, 2.87M), though down 15% and 9% respectively from 2019 (2.5, 4.08M). It was easily the highest rated and most-watched non-NFL sportscast of the weekend.

Third round coverage was flat in ratings (1.45) and up 2% in viewership (to 2.24M). Lead-in coverage on Golf Channel pulled a 0.47 and 684,000 on Saturday and a 0.8 and 1.29 million on Sunday.

Tuesday’s NASCAR “Clash” from Daytona averaged 1.58 million viewers on FS1, marking the event’s smallest audience since at least 2002. Viewership fell 36% from last year, when the race aired on a Sunday (2.46M). … NBC scored a 0.7 and 1.20 million for a Flyers-Capitals NHL game Sunday, flat in ratings and up 10% in viewership from Penguins-Capitals on Super Bowl Sunday last year (0.7, 1.09M). In other action, NBCSN drew 247,000 for Lightning-Predators on Tuesday (+44%) and 206,000 for Islanders-Rangers on Monday (-9%). … Monday’s UConn-South Carolina women’s college basketball game averaged 461,000 viewers on FS1, the network’s largest women’s college basketball audience ever.