The NBA Play-in Tournament finished on a quieter note Friday, but still topped the day in sports viewership.
Friday’s Kings-Pelicans NBA Play-in Tournament game averaged a combined 2.57 million viewers across TNT (2.52M) and truTV (46K), up 2% from Thunder-Timberwolves on ESPN last year (2.51M) and the most-watched sporting event of the day. Bulls-Heat led-in with 2.25 million on ESPN (2.28M including ESPN Deportes), on par with the same matchup on TNT a year ago (2.26M).
The Play-in Tournament fared far better last Tuesday (4.0M) and Wednesday (3.3M). Overall, the six-game Play-in Tournament averaged 3.22 million viewers, up 22% from 2.63 million last year and the highest average in the young history of the event.
The Play-in averaged more-than-twice as many viewers as this year’s regular season games on ABC, ESPN and TNT (1.56M).
No other sportscast Friday managed even 500,000 viewers. Second round coverage of the PGA Tour Heritage tournament averaged 472,000 on Golf Channel, down 13% from last year’s 544,000. Coverage of the LPGA Tour Dinah Shore Championship, the season’s first major, led out with 195,000.
Leading out of Bulls-Heat, ESPN drew 454,000 for a Professional Fighters League telecast — up 55% from coverage that led into a play-in game last year (292K).
Further down the dial, MLB Network drew 234,000 for joined-in-progress regional action that did not begin until after 11 PM ET. A primetime regional window led in at 185,000 and a Marlins-Cubs matinee scored 152,000.
The U.S. Olympic wrestling trials drew 142,000 on USA Network; ESPN2 chipped in 115,000 for a Florida-Vanderbilt college baseball game; FS1 drew 104,000 for Nebraska-Michigan softball.
Friday, April 19 sports ratings
Updated chart:
Original chart below:
