NASCAR’s Xfinity Series opened its season with a multi-year low. In other news, ESPN and TNT put up weak numbers for NBA coverage, and Penguins/Bruins topped the week’s NHL action on NBCSN.
Xfinity Series Opener Hits Low
- Last Saturday’s season-opening NASCAR Xfinity Series race from Daytona scored 2.1 million viewers on Fox Sports 1, down 28% from last year (2.9M) and down 23% from 2014, when coverage aired on ESPN opposite the Olympics (2.7M). Viewership was the lowest for the series opener since at least 2007. The multi-year low came one day before the Daytona 500 earns its second-smallest audience in 25 years (and its second-lowest rating ever). (via Awful Announcing)
Weak Numbers For NBA on ESPN, TNT
- Wednesday’s Spurs/Kings NBA regular season game had a 0.8 final rating and 1.1 million viewers on ESPN, down a tick in ratings and 9% in viewership from Spurs/Blazers last year (0.9, 1.2M) and down a third and 32%, respectively, from Rockets/Clippers in 2014 (1.2, 1.7M). Earlier, Wizards/Bulls drew a 0.7 (-33%) and 944,000 (-27%). On TNT Thursday, Thunder/Pelicans (1.3M) and Rockets/Blazers (1.1M) declined 50% and 27%, respectively, from last year’s doubleheader of Warriors/Cavaliers (2.6M) and Thunder/Suns (1.5M). (via Programming Insider)
Pens/Bruins Tops Weekday NHL Slate
- Penguins/Bruins NHL action scored a 0.4 final rating and 536,000 viewers on NBCSN Wednesday night, flat in ratings and down 8% in viewership from Penguins/Capitals last year (0.4, 582K). Sharks/Kings pulled 249,000 later in the night. In other action, Blue Jackets/Red Wings had 223,000 on Tuesday and Predators/Blackhawks 197,000 on Thursday — up 44% and down 36%, respectively, from last year’s Flyers/Hurricanes (155K) and Wild/Predators (306K) games. Rounding out the week’s slate, Sharks/Blues drew 250,000 on Monday. (via PI, ShowBuzz Daily [1], [2], [3])
