The PGA Tour’s Tournament of Champions got off to a stronger start on Golf Channel. Also included, double-digit declines for the NBA on TNT and numbers for last week’s Premier League matches.
Double-Digit Gains For Start of PGA Tournament of Champions
- First round coverage of the PGA Tour Tournament of Champions earned 378,000 viewers on Golf Channel Thursday night, up 34% from last year (282K) and up 78% from 2013 (212K), when the opening round took place on a Friday. In the metered markets, the opening round was the highest rated since Golf Channel began airing the event in 2007. (via Sports TV Ratings, Golf Channel)
Double Dip For TNT Doubleheader
- Thursday’s Celtics/Bulls NBA regular season game had a 0.9 final rating and 1.4 million viewers on TNT, down a tick in ratings and 2% in viewership from Rockets/Knicks last year (1.0, 1.4M) and down 55% and 56%, respectively, from Heat/Knicks in 2014 (2.0, 3.1M). The Lakers/Kings nightcap had a 0.8 and 1.2 million, down 20% in ratings and 11% in viewership from last year’s Heat/Blazers game (1.0, 1.4M) and down a third and 28%, respectively, from Thunder/Nuggets in 2014 (1.2, 1.7M). (via Programming Insider)
Everton/Tottenham Tops Weekend EPL
- Sunday’s Everton/Tottenham English Premier League match had 497,000 viewers on NBCSN, ranking as the week’s most-watched match on cable. Crystal Palace/Chelsea had 326,000 earlier in the morning. There were no comparable matches last year or in 2014, as week 20 of the season took place on New Year’s Day. On Saturday, NBCSN and USA Network combined for 722,000 in the mid-morning window — 390,000 for Arsenal/Newcastle on the former and 322,000 for Manchester United/Swansea on the latter. In the early window, West Ham/Liverpool had 283,000 on NBCSN. (via ShowBuzz Daily [1], [2])
