Recent sports TV ratings news, including big numbers for Noon ET college football on ESPN, double-digit increases for the NBA on TNT, and near-record numbers for the Patriots in Boston.
- Saturday’s Wisconsin/Michigan game drew a 2.8 U.S. rating and 4.019 million viewers on ESPN, the network’s fourth-most viewed Noon ET college football game ever — behind Michigan/Wisconsin in 2007 (4.402 mil), Illinois/Michigan earlier this month (4.326 mil), and Arkansas/Georgia in September (4.251 mil). (Nielsen)
- Through 10 games, TNT is averaging a 1.8 U.S. rating and 2.857 million viewers for NBA coverage, up 20% in ratings and 26% in viewership from last year (1.5, 2.265 mil), and up 50% and 57%, respectively, from 2008 (1.2, 1.823 mil). (Turner press release via TV By The Numbers)
- Sunday’s Patriots/Colts game earned a 42.0 rating on Boston CBS affiliate WBZ, the third-highest rating ever for a regular season Patriots game in the market. Only Dolphins/Patriots in 2003 (43.8) and Patriots/Giants in 2007 (50.1) drew better numbers. The ’07 game, in which the Patriots clinched an undefeated season, aired on four networks in the Boston market — NFL Network, WBZ (CBS), WCVB (ABC) and WHDH (NBC). (patriots.com)
