NBA ratings went in opposite directions on ABC and ESPN during the first half of the season. In other news, the San Antonio Spurs had the highest local rating during the first half, and Liga MX again earned the week’s top soccer audience.
NBA Up on ABC, Down on ESPN
- Regular season NBA coverage on ABC averaged a 2.8 rating and 4.7 million viewers through the All-Star break, up a tick in ratings and 4% in viewership from the comparable period last year (2.7, 4.5M) but down 26% and 28%, respectively, from the 2012-13 season (3.8, 6.5M). ESPN averaged a 1.1 and 1.6 million for its coverage, down 10% in ratings and 11% in viewership from last year (1.2, 1.8M) and down 10% and 12%, respectively, from two years ago (1.2, 1.8M). Averages on TNT were not available. (ESPN)
Spurs Lead Local NBA Ratings; Bucks, Cavs, Up Big
- San Antonio Spurs NBA games averaged a 8.1 rating on Fox Sports Southwest prior to the All-Star break, per Sports Business Journal, up 12% from last year and the top local rating in the league. The Cleveland Cavaliers rank second with a 7.3, up a whopping 150%. Rounding out the top five are the Thunder (6.4, -27%), Heat (5.0, -27%) and Bulls (4.7, +62%). The Bucks have had the largest year-over-year gain in the NBA, with their 2.3 average rating on FS Wisconsin up 326% from last year. (via Sports Business Journal, Bucks.com)
Liga MX Scores Week’s Top Soccer Audience, Again
- Last Sunday’s Guadalajara/Veracruz Liga MX Clausura match earned a 0.6 final rating and 1.1 million viewers on UniMás, the top soccer audience of the week on any network. The Univision family of networks has earned the top soccer audience in five of the past six weeks. Liga MX matches are averaging 288,000 viewers on the Univision networks so far this season, up 7% from the comparable point in the Liga MX Apertura season last fall. (via Sports Business Daily, Univision)
