The Lakers continue to boost NBA ratings; the Sixers scored their highest rated November in 17 years; Maple Leafs-Sabres did well on NBCSN; Liga MX hit a season-high.
Lakers Keep Moving Needle
Wednesday’s Spurs-Lakers NBA regular season game delivered a 1.2 rating and 1.82 million viewers on ESPN, up 71% in ratings and 73% in viewership from last year (T’Wolves-Clippers: 0.7, 1.05M) but down 20% and 23% respectively from 2016 (Warriors-Clippers: 1.5, 2.37M).
It was the least-watched Laker game on ESPN or TNT this season, but the fifth of seven to post an increase in ratings and/or viewership.
Earlier in the night, Sixers-Raptors had a 1.05 (+4%) and 1.64 million (+5%). Last year’s Warriors-Hornets game was blacked out in the Bay Area (1.0, 1.56M).
On TNT Thursday, Rockets-Jazz drew a 0.6 (-3%) and 1.00 million (+6%), while Knicks-Celtics had a 0.6 (-30%) and 854,000 (-33%).
Sixers Have Best November Since 2001
Philadelphia 76ers games averaged a 3.4 rating on NBC Sports Philadelphia in November, the network’s highest average for Sixers games during the month since 2001. Sixers games are now averaging a 3.2 rating for the season, up 14%.
Leafs-Sabres Hits Non-Wednesday High on NBCSN
Tuesday’s Maple Leafs-Sabres NHL regular season game pulled 286,000 viewers on NBCSN, up 4% from last year (Rangers-Penguins: 274K) and the network’s largest non-Wednesday audience of the season. On Wednesday night, Oilers-Blues had 262,000 (-31%) and Blackhawks-Ducks 125,000.
Liga MX Semifinal Nears 2.0 Million
Thursday’s opening leg of the Pumas UNAM-Club America Liga MX Apertura semifinal combined for a 0.9 rating and 1.77 million viewers on Univision and Univision Deportes Network, down a tick in ratings and 12% in viewership from last year (Tigers UANL-Club America: 1.0, 2.02M). Despite the decline, it was the most-watched Liga MX match of the current season.
[Numbers from Nielsen via Programming Insider 12.6, 12.7; NBC Sports PR; Univision]
