Facing Game 7 of the World Series, ratings for the Miami Heat season opener dropped from last year. In other news, the WTA tennis championship had a big increase, and Skate America drew its lowest rating since moving to NBC in 2007.
Heat Opener Down, Beats World Series
- Wednesday’s Wizards/Heat NBA regular season game drew a 9.7 rating on Sun Sports in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale market, down 43% from last year’s nationally televised opener against the Bulls on TNT (17.1). Last year’s game featured the Heat’s ring ceremony and did not face World Series competition. This year’s game aired opposite Game 7 of the World Series, which drew a 7.6 on FOX affiliate WSVN. (Sun-Sentinel.com via Sports Business Daily)
WTA Championship Up Big on ESPN2
- Serena Williams‘ three-set win over Caroline Wozniacki in the WTA Tour year-end championship drew a 0.2 final rating and 319,000 viewers on ESPN2 last Sunday morning, flat in ratings and up 47% in viewership from taped coverage of last year’s Williams/Li Na final (0.2, 217K). (Sun. numbers from Awful Announcing)
Skate America Lowest Rated Since Moving to NBC
- Skate America, the first event in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, drew a 0.6 final rating and 870,000 viewers on NBC last Sunday — down 25% in ratings and 31% in viewership from last year (0.8, 1.3M), and the lowest rating for the event since it moved to NBC in 2007. The previous low was a 0.8, set in each of the previous three years. (Sun. numbers from Sports Business Daily)
