For the second time in less than a week, a record local audience tuned in to watch LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the high-profile Heat.
Miami’s overtime loss to the Jazz earned a 7.2 rating on Sun Sports in Miami-Ft. Lauderdale Tuesday night, the highest rating ever for a regular season Heat telecast on the network.
The previous record was set just days earlier by Friday’s Heat/Hornets game (6.8). Prior to this season, the record was a 6.5 for Bulls/Heat in January 1998.
Though Tuesday’s game aired nationally on NBA TV, the NBA TV simulcast was blacked out in the home markets.
Including playoff games, the 7.2 for Jazz/Heat is the highest Heat rating on Sun Sports since the 1997 NBA Playoffs.
So far this season, Heat telecasts are averaging a 5.3 rating on Sun Sports, up 112% from last year (2.5). Though up big from last year, the 5.3 trails last year’s full season average for James’ former team, the Cavaliers, on Fox Sports Ohio (8.6).
Keep in mind the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale and Cleveland-Akron markets are similarly sized.
(FOX Sports)
