Day one NBA playoff ratings hit a five-year high in the metered markets. Also: Stanley Cup playoff overnights on NBC and the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals on FS1.
NBA Playoff Ratings: Saturday Overnights Hit High
On ESPN, Heat-Sixers Game 1 earned a 2.9 overnight — up 26% from last year (Grizzlies-Spurs: 2.3) and up 32% from 2016 (Celtics-Hawks: 2.2). It was the network’s highest rated opening weekend playoff game in the metered markets since 2012 (Mavs-Thunder: 3.1).
In other action, Wizards-Raptors Game 1 had a 2.1 overnight (+17%) and Pelicans-Trail Blazers a 2.3 (+10%). Overall, the first day of the playoffs averaged a 2.7 overnight on ESPN/ABC — up 17% from last year and the highest since 2013.
Saturday’s Stanley Cup Overnights Up on NBC
Earlier in the day, regional coverage of Devils-Lightning and Avalanche-Predators delivered a 1.35 overnight on NBC and CNBC (+41%).
Locally, Nashville scored a 10.2 rating for the Predators’ win, its highest for a first or second round game on record. Boston turned in a 9.8 rating for the Bruins’ win. Tampa-St. Petersburg turned in a 5.8 for the Lightning, Denver a 3.7 for the Avalanche and New York a 1.3 for the Devils.
UEFA Quarterfinals Down, But Up From ’16
On Wednesday, the second leg of Real Madrid-Juventus pulled 356,000 on FS1 — down 10% from last year (Barcelona-Juventus: 395K) but up 8% from 2016 (Atletico Madrid-Barcelona: 329K).
[Numbers from ESPN PR 4.15, NBC Sports PR/Twitter 4.15 a, b, c, d, e, f; ShowBuzz Daily 4.11, 4.12]
