The Warriors’ winning streak continues to generate some of the biggest audiences of the early season. In other news, NBC had an uptick in Premier League overnights, and NASCAR’s Xfinity Series finale jumped from last year.
Big Jump For Warriors’ Friday Night Win
- Friday’s Bulls/Warriors NBA regular season game drew a 1.8 final rating and 2.9 million viewers on ESPN, up 80% in ratings and 98% in viewership from Bulls/Blazers last year (1.0, 1.4M) and up 50% and 71%, respectively, from Warriors/Lakers in 2013 (1.2, 1.7M). Golden State’s win scored the second-largest audience of the season, behind Cavaliers/Bulls on TNT Opening Night (3.5M) — the only non-Warriors game in the top five. Spurs/Pelicans had 1.4 million earlier in the night, down 26% from Cavaliers/Wizards last year (1.9M) and even with Spurs/Grizzlies in 2013. (via TV Media Insights)
Uptick For Premier League on NBC
- The Manchester City/Liverpool English Premier League match had a 0.8 overnight rating on NBC Saturday afternoon, up a tick form Sunderland/Chelsea last year (0.7) and up 60% from Newcastle/West Brom in 2013 (0.5). Both last year and in 2013, week thirteen of the season took place over Thanksgiving weekend. (via Sports Business Daily)
Xfinity Series Finale Sees Jump in Overnights
- Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series finale from Homestead (FL) earned a 1.2 overnight rating on NBC, up a third from last year on ESPN2 (0.9). The 1.2 is tied as the second-lowest of the season for the Xfinity Series on broadcast television (eight telecasts), matching Dover on FOX in May and ahead of only Darlington on NBC on Labor Day weekend (1.1). (via Sports Business Daily)
