Despite a rout, the top-ten clash of Illinois and Michigan did well for ESPN. Plus: a quiet weekend for the NBA on ESPN/ABC, more gains for the PGA Tour and more.
Illinois-Michigan strong for ESPN
Tuesday’s Illinois-Michigan men’s college basketball game averaged 1.57 million viewers on ESPN, the largest weeknight college basketball audience since the season-opening Champions Classic. Viewership jumped 52% from Michigan State-Penn State in the same window last year (1.03M). Ratings were not immediately available.
Baylor-West Virginia averaged 893,000 in a special late afternoon slot, while the Kentucky-Mississippi nightcap pulled just 666,000 (-42%).
Going back to last weekend, CBS drew a 1.1 rating and 1.89 million viewers for Iowa-Ohio State on Sunday — flat and up 11% respectively from last year (Michigan-Ohio State: 1.1, 1.70M). Michigan State-Maryland had a 0.9 (+43%) and 1.52 million (+66%) earlier in the day.
The previous night, ESPN drew a 0.9 (-17%) and 1.56 million (-9%) for Baylor-Kansas and a 0.8 (-29%) and 1.36 million (-18%) for Louisville-Duke.
Quiet weekend for NBA on ABC, ESPN
Mavericks-Nets averaged a 1.1 rating and 1.85 million viewers on ABC’s NBA Saturday Primetime last weekend, down 25% in ratings and 21% in viewership from the same weekend last year (Rockets-Celtics: 1.5, 2.35M). Clippers-Bucks had a 1.0 (-17%) and 1.68 million (-10%) on the following day’s NBA Sunday Showcase.
Over on ESPN, the Lakers’ rout of the Warriors had a 1.0 and 1.65 million Sunday night — down 40% and 39% respectively from Lakers-Pelicans last year, the second-ever meeting between LeBron James and Zion Williamson (1.7, 2.69M).
In other action, ESPN drew a 0.8 (+13%) and 1.35 million (+25%) for Blazers-Lakers last Friday night, preceded by a 0.6 and 949,000 for Pacers-Celtics (-15% in both measures). Shifting to this week, TNT drew 1.33 million for Suns-Lakers on Tuesday (-8%), preceded by Clippers-Celtics at 1.22 million (+9%).
More gains for PGA Tour
Last Sunday’s final round of the PGA Tour/WGC stop in Bradenton, Fla. — a replacement for the usual Mexico tournament — averaged a 1.8 rating and 2.93 million viewers on NBC, flat in ratings and up 5% in viewership from last year (1.8, 2.79M). The third round increased 15% in ratings (to 1.35) and 25% in viewership (to 2.15M).
Six of the last eight PGA Tour windows on broadcast television have increased over last year.
Lead-in coverage on Golf Channel drew a 0.43 (+16%) and 690,000 (+28%) on Saturday and a 0.7 (+52%) and 1.05 million (+48%) on Sunday.
Plus: NHL, PBC, bowling
Bruins-Rangers averaged a 0.6 rating and 980,000 viewers on last Sunday’s edition of the NHL on NBC, down 11% in ratings and 7% in viewership from Flyers-Rangers last year (0.7, 1.05M). On Tuesday night, Flyers-Penguins chipped in 188,000 on NBCSN (-55%). … The latest edition of Premier Boxing Champions on FOX averaged a 0.6 rating and 981,000 viewers last Saturday night, well below the previous edition in January (1.0, 1.61M). … Bowling’s PBA Tournament of Champions drew a 0.6 and 865,000 on FOX last Sunday, below the previous week’s PBA Players Championship Final (0.6, 958K).
