Overnight (metered market) ratings by timeslot:
12:00 PM – 3:00 PM Sunday.
4.0/11: NASCAR on FOX, Dodge Avenger 500
1.5/4: Poker on NBC
- Thanks to rained-out Saturday night races, NASCAR on FOX started in the rather early 1:00 PM timeslot for the second straight week. It seems to be having an effect on the ratings, as the race drew an anemic (for NASCAR) 4.0 overnight.
3:00 PM – 7:00 PM Sunday.
3.7/9: PGA Tour on NBC, The Players Championship, Final Round
3.4: NBA Playoffs on ABC, Detroit at Chicago Game 4
1.3: NBA Countdown on ABC
- Pistons/Bulls was down 13% from the comparable Heat/Nets Game 4 last year, and down 15% from the comparable Pistons/Pacers Game 4 in the same timeslot in 2005. It should be pointed out that currently, 2005 is the low water mark for NBA Playoff ratings. Through six playoff games this year, ABC is averaging a 2.8 rating, down 15% from a 3.3 through the same time period last year, and even with the record low pace set in 2005.
- Coverage of the final round of The Players Championship increased 19%, thanks in large part to a move from late March (where it was competing with the NCAA Tournament) to May. Despite the larger rating, the final round of the TPC finished third in the ratings this weekend, behind the NBA on ABC and NASCAR on FOX — and the third round on Saturday actually fell 3% from last year.
Saturday ratings.
4.1: NBA Playoffs on ABC, Phoenix at San Antonio Game 3
2.9/8: PGA Tour on NBC, The Players Championship, Third Round
2.9/6: NASCAR on FOX, Dodge Avenger 500 (rained out)
2.4: NBA Countdown on ABC
2.0/5: MLB on FOX, Regional action
0.8: IRL on ABC, Indianapolis 500 Pole Qualifying
- Suns/Spurs draws the largest overnight rating of the weekend. The 4.1 rating is up 3% over the 4.0 rating Spurs/Mavericks drew in the same timeslot last year. So far, both Spurs/Suns games on ABC have drawn higher overnights than the comparable games in the same timeslots last year.
- For the second straight week, a rained out NASCAR event outdraws the vast majority of its competition. One caveat: the rating is only for the time period from 8:00 to 8:30 p.m.
- Baseball on FOX gets its lowest overnight of the young season. However, with Barry Bonds edging closer to the all-time home run record, and with the possibility of Roger Clemens making his return to the Yankees against the Red Sox, FOX is far from panicking.
