The Lakers’ lone win of the NBA Playoffs topped the sports ratings charts for Saturday, April 27.
Saturday’s Nuggets-Lakers first round NBA playoff Game 4 averaged a 3.0 rating and 5.67 million viewers on ABC, the largest audience of the playoffs thus far and up a third and 34% respectively from Grizzlies-Lakers on ESPN last year (2.2, 4.23M). The Lakers’ win was the top sporting event of the day and weekend.
The NBA Playoffs delivered the day’s top two sports audiences as Celtics-Heat led in with a 1.6 and 3.04 million on TNT. That was the final game of a tripleheader that began with Cavaliers-Magic at a 0.8 and 1.41 million and Thunder-Pelicans at a 1.1 and 2.03 million, with all three games down from last year. For more details on NBA playoff ratings, see the preceding link.
Outside of the NBA, the final day of the NFL Draft topped the sports charts with a combined 1.7 and 3.00 million across ABC (0.8, 1.38M), ESPN (0.7, 1.12M) and NFL Network (0.26, 498K) — down 6% and 3% respectively from last year. See this link for more on NFL Draft ratings.
Shifting to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Bruins-Maple Leafs Game 4 topped the action on the ice with a combined 0.7 and 1.39 million across TBS and truTV — the most-watched game of the playoffs until the following night — followed by Hurricanes-Islanders at a 0.47 and 907,000 across the same networks. For more on Stanley Cup playoff ratings, see the preceding link.
Further down the dial, FOX averaged a 0.7 and 1.23 million for regional Major League Baseball coverage — up from a solo Cubs-Marlins game last year (0.6, 986K) — which led into regional UFL action at a 0.46 and 777,000.
Third round coverage of the PGA Tour New Orleans tournament drew a 0.7 and 1.16 million on CBS, down a tick and 9% respectively from last year (0.8, 1.27M). LIV Golf had a 0.11 and 174,000 on CW.
In auto racing, NASCAR Xfinity Series racing from Dover drew a 0.53 and 883,000 on FS1 — up from last year’s 0.41 and 674,000. CBS scored a 0.38 and 627,000 for Formula E Monaco “E-Prix” racing.
Liga MX topped the soccer slate with a 0.34 and 759,000 for Atlas-Guadalajara on Univision, followed by NBC’s Brentford-Everton Premier League match at a 0.38 and 649,000. As usual, the domestic leagues lagged far behind as FOX drew a 0.12 and 245,000 for Austin-LA Galaxy in MLS — down from Nashville-Atlanta in an earlier slot last year (0.16, 270K) — and ION topped out at a 0.12 and 183,000 for Portland-Chicago in the NWSL.
Leading out of the NFL Draft, ESPN drew a 0.34 and 660,000 for a UFC Fight Night, preceded by prelims on ESPN2 at a 0.15 and 271,000.
In college sports, a Tennessee-Alabama softball game led out of UFC prelims with a 0.17 and 294,000 on ESPN2. It was followed by an Oregon-Oregon State baseball game at a 0.08 and 135,000. Earlier in the day, Florida-Arkansas baseball drew a 0.14 and 226,000, preceded by Florida-Georgia softball at a 0.09 and 142,000.
Elsewhere, the Nebraska spring football game drew a 0.09 and 162,000 on BTN.
Saturday, April 27 sports ratings
