As it will for most nights over the next two months, the NBA Playoffs topped the day in sports viewership on Tuesday, April 23.
Tuesday’s Suns-Timberwolves first round NBA playoff Game 2 averaged 2.98 million viewers across TNT (2.61M) and truTV (369K), up 10% from Knicks-Cavaliers on TNT alone last year (2.72M) and the top sportscast of the day.
The Mavericks-Clippers nightcap averaged 2.88 million (TNT: 2.54M; truTV: 337K), down 25% from Clippers-Suns a year ago (3.86M). The Mavericks’ win dragged down TNT’s full doubleheader to 2.93 million — down 11% from last year’s 3.29 million. Rounding out the NBA slate, Pacers-Bucks drew 555,000 on NBA TV — up 7% from last year’s 520,000 for Hawks-Celtics.
The full NBA Playoffs is averaging 3.64 million viewers across ABC, ESPN and TNT, down 7% from last year (3.93M). Viewership is down a steeper 14% including the two NBA TV games, but that is because NBA TV had aired one fewer game at this point last year.
Shifting to the NHL, Capitals-Rangers Game 2 led the Tuesday slate with 1.05 million viewers — up 47% from Lightning-Maple Leafs last year (715K). The competing Lightning-Panthers game averaged 515,000, down 34% from Rangers-Devils on TBS a year ago (775K). In the late game window, ESPN drew 700,000 for Avalanche-Jets (-5%) and Predators-Canucks 327,000 on ESPN2 (+22%).
The full Stanley Cup Playoffs is now averaging 837,000 viewers across ESPN, ESPN2, TBS and truTV, up 27% from 658,000 for the first four nights of last year’s postseason (Monday-Thursday).
Further down the dial, USA Network drew 322,000 for a Chelsea-Arsenal English Premier League match and TBS chipped in 226,000 for a Astros-Cubs Major League Baseball game.
Tuesday, April 23 sports ratings
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Original chart below:
