Despite the host city not counting toward U.S. television ratings, the NBA All-Star Game rebounded from last year’s SNL-fueled decline.
The 2016 NBA All-Star Game had a combined 4.3 final rating and 7.6 million viewers on TNT and TBS, flat in ratings and up 6% in viewership from last year (4.3, 7.2M) and flat and up 1%, respectively, from 2014 on TNT alone (4.3, 7.5M).
The high-scoring affair, which peaked at 8.7 million from 8:45-9 PM ET, ranks as the most-watched NBA All-Star Game since 2013 (8.0M). The All-Star Game has now topped seven million viewers in six consecutive years, after failing to do so in three of the previous four.
Sunday’s game aired opposite the season premiere of AMC’s The Walking Dead (7.1, 13.7M), but that was still lighter competition than in previous years. Last year’s game faced both The Walking Dead and NBC’s Saturday Night Live anniversary special, which combined for roughly 35.4 million viewers. The 2014 game faced The Walking Dead and the Olympic Games, which combined for about 34.6 million.
While the All-Star Game benefited from reduced competition, it had to contend with the absence of a traditional host market. While Toronto is by no means a small market, it does not count toward U.S. television ratings. Last year’s game took place in the nation’s largest television market, New York City, and earned an 8.8 rating locally — equivalent to more than half a ratings point nationally.
San Antonio was Sunday’s top market with a 12.4 rating, followed by Oklahoma City (9.9), Cleveland (9.7), the Bay Area (9.4) and Memphis (8.4).
Among adults 18-49, TNT and TBS combined for a 3.3 rating — up 7% from last year (3.1) and even with 2014.
Compared to other sports, the NBA All-Star Game ranks behind both the Pro Bowl (4.5, 8.0M) and last year’s MLB All-Star Game (6.6, 10.1M) in ratings and viewership. Among adults 18-49, however, the NBA game topped both the NFL (2.8) and MLB (3.1) to rank as sports’ top All-Star Game in the demo.
(Sun. numbers from Turner Sports, with additional info from Programming Insider)
