A Western Conference Finals rematch featuring another milestone for LeBron James delivered the top sports audience of Saturday, March 2.
Saturday’s Nuggets-Lakers NBA regular season game, in which James became the first NBA player to score 40,000 points, averaged a 1.7 rating and 3.05 million viewers on ABC — up 23% in ratings and 36% in viewership from Sixers-Bucks on the same night last year (1.4, 2.24M) and the fifth-largest audience of the NBA season.
The ninth-place Lakers have played in four of the top five games this season and seven of the top ten, more than any other team.
The NBA game was easily the most-watched sporting event of the day, nearly doubling the second-place matchup — the competing Tennessee-Alabama men’s college basketball game on ESPN at a 0.8 and 1.57 million. (There was no comparable window last year as ESPN carried the UFC.)
As is typical this time of year, college basketball dominated the charts. CBS averaged a 0.9 and 1.53 million for Arkansas-Kentucky — down from the same matchup in a similar window last year (1.1, 1.84M) — and a 0.6 (flat) and 1.03 million (+1%) for USC-Washington.
FOX drew a 0.7 and 1.32 million for Michigan State-Purdue in primetime, a 0.46 and 786,000 for Marquette-Creighton and a 0.41 and 675,000 for Villanova-Providence, each up from last year’s comparable windows (UConn-Villanova: 0.35, 626K; St. John’s-Marquette: 0.31, 538K; Seton Hall-Providence: 0.25, 454K). A rare ABC game, Kansas-Baylor, chipped in a 0.7 and 1.29 million.
Returning to ESPN, the network’s afternoon and evening slate sank double-digits from last year as NC State-North Carolina averaged a 0.7 (-18%) and 1.29 million (-17%), Virginia-Duke a 0.7 (-48%) and 1.26 million (-52%), Florida-South Carolina a 0.29 (-39%) and 520,000 (-37%) and Oregon-Arizona a 0.23 (-57%) and 435,000 (-55%). Keep in mind last year’s schedule included much higher-profile games, including Duke-North Carolina, Kansas-Texas and Ohio State-Michigan State.
Gonzaga-Saint Mary’s rounded out the ESPN slate with a 0.51 and 1.01 million, up 10% and 26% respectively from Arizona-UCLA a year ago (0.46, 800K).
Moving beyond the hardwood, third round coverage of the PGA Tour event formerly known as the Honda Classic averaged a 0.8 and 1.28 million on NBC — down 23% in ratings and 21% in viewership from last year (1.0, 1.61M). LIV Golf on The CW had a 0.13 and 221,000.
The season-opening Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix averaged a 0.6 and 1.12 million on ESPN, down from last year’s Sunday edition but still the third-largest audience in the history of the race. Viewership peaked at 1.26 million from 11:15-11:30 AM ET. NASCAR Xfinity Series racing from Las Vegas was not far behind at a 0.6 and 1.03 million — down from last year’s 0.7 and 1.13 million — though it was much further back in the key young adult demographics.
Liga MX topped the soccer charts as Univision averaged a 0.44 and 978,000 for Cruz Azul-Guadalajara and a 0.42 and 906,000 for Altas-Club America. MLS was further back with a 0.26 and 441,000 for Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami against Orlando City on FOX.
In the NHL, Panthers-Red Wings scored a 0.49 and 847,000 on ABC, up from Avalanche-Stars a year ago (0.46, 795K). (ABC carried a doubleheader on the same weekend last year, also scoring a 0.6 and 1.13 million for Rangers-Bruins.)
The third day of the NFL Combine delivered a 0.22 and 390,000 on NFL Network, up from last year’s 0.20 and 329,000. A 10 PM ET re-air had a 0.06 and 108,000.
Returning to the NBA, Jazz-Heat drew a 0.12 and 200,000 on NBA TV. A 4 AM ET re-air of Nuggets-Lakers was not far off at a 0.11 and 156,000 on ESPN.
Saturday, March 2 sports ratings
