An earlier start to the season sent opening week NBA ratings soaring.
Opening week of the NBA season averaged 2.9 million viewers across ESPN and TNT (eight telecasts), up 35% from last year (2.1M) and up 40% from 2015 (2.0M). It was the most-watched opening week since 2013 (3.1M).
The NBA clearly benefited from lighter baseball competition. In the previous three years, 14 of 22 opening week games aired opposite the World Series, including six of eight games last year — when Cubs-Indians delivered stronger than usual numbers. This year’s games aired opposite lesser-watched League Championship Series games.
All eight opening week games posted increases over last year, seven by double-digits. Compared to 2015, seven of eight games increased, and five by double-digits.
On Friday, Warriors-Pelicans had 2.4 million viewers on ESPN — up 27% from the same matchup last year (1.9M) and up 32% from Warriors-Rockets in 2015 (1.8M). Cavaliers-Bucks scored 1.82 million earlier in the night, up 29% from Cavs-Raptors last year (1.4M) and up 1% from Heat-Cavs in 2015 (1.80M).
| NBA OPENING WEEK VIEWERSHIP | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date, Time | Game | Net | Vwrs. | vs. 2016 | vs. 2015 |
| Oct. 17, 8 PM | Celtics-Cavaliers | TNT | 5.598M | +95% | +62% |
| Oct. 17, 10:30 PM | Rockets-Warriors | TNT | 4.249M | +22% | +68% |
| Oct. 18, 7:00 PM | Sixers-Wizards | ESPN | 1.834M | +16% | +1% |
| Oct. 18, 9:30 PM | Spurs-T’Wolves | ESPN | 2.030M | +1% | -14% |
| Oct. 19, 8:00 PM | Knicks-Thunder | TNT | 2.281M | +16% | +115% |
| Oct. 19, 10:30 PM | Clippers-Lakers | TNT | 2.257M | +34% | +61% |
| Oct. 20, 7:00 PM | Cavaliers-Bucks | ESPN | 1.822M | +29% | +1% |
| Oct. 20, 9:30 PM | Warriors-Pelicans | ESPN | 2.387M | +27% | +32% |
[Fri. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily 10.23]
