A low-profile NBA doubleheader posted sharp declines from last year but still topped Thursday’s sports ratings charts.
TNT averaged 1.01 million viewers for Bulls-Raptors and just 876,000 for Grizzlies-Timberwolves in an NBA regular season doubleheader last Thursday, down 59 and 29 percent respectively from the same January night last year (Warriors-Celtics: 2.44M; Nets-Suns: 1.24M). Versus the equivalent date of last season (January 12), viewership still declined 21 and 38 percent respectively (Celtics-Nets: 1.28M; Mavericks-Lakers: 1.42M).
Despite the steep declines, the two games were the most-watched sporting events of the day. The top non-NBA event was an Illinois-Michigan men’s college basketball game at 571,000 on FS1 — down 9% from Indiana-Illinois last year (626K). Minnesota-Michigan State led in with 443,000, up 6% from Rutgers-Michigan State a year ago (417K), and Oregon-Colorado led out with 161,000 (-34%).
In other college action, ESPN averaged 381,000 for USF-Memphis — down 45% from Michigan-Maryland last year (693K) — and ESPN2 drew 162,000 for Wichita State-FAU (-53%) and 103,000 for Oregon State-Utah.
Shifting to the women’s game, a Purdue-Penn State game on BTN had just 50,000.
Beyond basketball, ESPN averaged 452,000 for primetime coverage of the Australian Open — up 31% from last year on ESPN2 (346K). The opening round of the PGA Tour American Express averaged 208,000 on Golf Channel, up 12% from last year’s 186,000, while coverage of the LPGA Tournament of Champions drew 127,000.
Thursday, January 18 sports ratings
Updated chart:
Original chart below:
