The NBA All-Star Game rebounded from last year’s low and — thanks to a Daytona 500 rainout — topped the sports ratings charts for Sunday, February 18.
Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game averaged a combined 2.6 rating and 5.40 million viewers across TNT (2.0, 4.09M), TBS (0.52, 1.02M) and truTV (0.14, 290K), up 20% in ratings and 18% in viewership from last year’s all-time lows of 2.2 and 4.59 million on TNT and TBS. The final audience figure of 5.4 million is off slightly from the previously reported fast-nationals (5.5M).
The All-Star Game delivered the top sports audience of the day, though it should be noted that the Daytona 500 was postponed to Monday due to rain.
As previously noted, this year’s All-Star Game was the first to post a double-digit increase in viewership since 2013. Viewership was still the second-lowest ever for the event.
Ranking second for the day, final round coverage of the PGA Tour at Riviera averaged a 1.9 and 3.25 million on CBS — down 9% and 5% respectively from last year, when Tiger Woods made the cut (2.1, 3.42M). Lead-in coverage on Golf Channel had a 0.53 and 912,000. A Purdue-Ohio State men’s college basketball game led-in with a third-place 1.0 and 1.73 million, up from the same matchup in the same window last year (0.9, 1.48M).
In fourth place, ABC averaged a 0.8 and 1.57 million for a Rangers-Islanders NHL Stadium Series game — the largest audience of the season, surpassing Connor Bedard’s debut on Opening Night (Blackhawks-Penguins: 0.8, 1.43M). Viewership was on par with a season-opening XFL game in the same window last year (0.9, 1.57M). A Georgia-South Carolina women’s college basketball game led-in with a 0.6 and 962,000.
Further down the dial, Professional Bull Riding drew a 0.6 and 991,000 on CBS and a Manchester United-Luton Town English Premier League match combined for a 0.46 and 934,000 across USA (0.33, 669K) and Telemundo (0.14, 265K).
With the Daytona 500 postponed, FOX averaged a 0.52 and 883,000 for a 90-minute edition of NASCAR Raceday.
In other action, a Northwestern-Indiana men’s game delivered the top college basketball audience on cable with a 0.26 and 492,000 on FS1. Seton Hall-St. John’s followed with a 0.18 and 405,000. ESPN topped out at a 0.23 and 401,000 for FAU-USF, followed by a Virginia Tech-Louisville women’s game at a 0.21 and 374,000.
BTN drew a 0.11 and 219,000 for a Nebraska-Penn State wrestling match, preceded by Wisconsin-Iowa at a 0.06 and 107,000.
Sunday, February 18 sports ratings
