Though less of a draw than usual, the Warriors delivered the NBA’s top overnight rating of the weekend.
Game 3 of the Warriors/Blazers NBA playoff series earned a 4.3 overnight rating on ABC Saturday night, up 8% from Warriors/Grizzlies last year (4.0) and even with Heat/Nets in 2014. It was the highest rated playoff game of the weekend in the metered markets and the only game to post a year-over-year increase.
Head-to-head, the Blazers’ win topped competing coverage of the Penguins/Capitals NHL playoff game on NBC (2.7) and NASCAR Sprint Cup racing on Fox Sports 1 (1.8).
On Sunday, Game 4 of Cavaliers/Hawks had a 3.8 overnight — down 31% from Cavaliers/Bulls last year (5.5), down 10% from Thunder/Clippers in 2014 (4.2), and tied as ABC’s third-lowest for a second round game in the past nine years.
Only Wizards/Hawks Game 1 last year (2.6) and Spurs/Cippers Game 3 in 2012 (2.9) had a lower overnight over that span.
Shifting to cable, Spurs/Thunder Game 4 had a 3.9 overnight rating according to Sports Business Daily and a 3.7 according to ShowBuzz Daily. Either way, that trails last year’s 4.0 for Rockets/Clippers. ESPN had a 1.9 for Raptors/Heat Game 3 Saturday afternoon, even with Hawks/Wizards last year (1.9). Unlike last year, coverage aired opposite the Kentucky Derby on NBC.
(Wknd. numbers via Sports Business Daily, ShowBuzz Daily)
