The NBA and baseball dominated sports talk Thursday, but the NFL dominated in the ratings.
The Week 7 edition of Thursday Night Football — Broncos-Cardinals in a matchup of sub-.500 teams — had a 6.6 overnight rating on FOX and NFL Network, down a third from last year (Chiefs-Raiders: 9.9) and also down a third from the fourth TNF simulcast in 2016 (Broncos-Chargers: 9.9).
The 6.6 is the lowest on record for a primetime NFL game on broadcast television, falling below the previous mark of 7.2 for Seahawks-Buccaneers on NBC in 2008.
Despite the low numbers, TNF still comfortably ranked as the top sporting event on a packed night. The competing Game 5 of the Red Sox-Astros American League Championship Series had a 5.0 overnight on TBS, up 28% from the network’s NLCS Game 5 last year (last year’s ALCS Game 5 overnight on FS1 was unavailable).
Boston’s series-clinching win tied TBS’ highest LCS Game 5 overnight since 2008. There have been higher LCS Game 5 overnights on other networks over that span, including a 5.3 for Cubs-Dodgers on FS1 two years ago.
The late night Lakers-Blazers NBA regular season game, marking LeBron James‘ L.A. debut, had a 2.6 overnight on TNT — up 63% from the comparable window last year, Lakers-Clippers. The Lakers’ defeat outdrew both NBA Opening Night games on TNT, Sixers-Celtics (2.3) and Thunder-Warriors (2.1).
Overnights for James’ return to the Cavaliers four years ago were not available.
[Numbers from Deadline 10.19, Turner Sports PR/Twitter 10.19 a, b; additional info from Sports Business Daily 10.17]
