While the actual All-Star Game tied a record-low, ratings inched up for NBA All-Star Saturday Night.
NBA All-Star Saturday Night scored a 2.7 rating and 5.02 million viewers on TNT, up a tick in ratings and 8% in viewership from last year (2.6, 4.66M), but down 10% and 11% respectively from 2017 (3.0, 5.63M).
The telecast snapped a streak of three straight declines for the event, but the numbers did not rebound much. Outside of last year, it was the lowest rated All-Star Saturday Night since at least 2001 and the least-watched since 2007 (4.84M). (Historical ratings and viewership for NBA All-Star Saturday Night are available here.)
All-Star Saturday Night had a 2.2 rating in adults 18-49, up a tick from last year (2.1), but down 8% from 2017 (2.4). It ranked second among weekend TV programs in the demo, trailing only the NBA All-Star Game (2.8) and ahead of the Daytona 500 on FOX (1.8) and AMC’s The Walking Dead (1.7).
It also scored a 2.1 in adults 18-34 (+2%) and a 2.3 in adults 25-54 (+13%).
Compared to its closest equivalent, the MLB Home Run Derby, NBA All-Star Saturday Night was no match. The Derby had a 3.2 and 5.57 million on ESPN last July. It did beat the Derby in adults 18-49 (2.2 to 1.8), 18-34 (2.1 to 1.5) and 25-54 (2.3 to 2.05). The NHL SuperSkills Competition (612K) and Pro Bowl Skills Challenge (761K) were not within shouting distance.
In other All-Star weekend action, Friday’s Rising Stars Challenge had a 0.9 and 1.46 million on TNT — up a tick in ratings and 5% in viewership from last year (0.9, 1.39M) and up 29% and 26% respectively from 2017 (0.7, 1.13M). It was the most-watched edition of the game since 2015.
On ESPN, the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game had a 0.85 (-21%) and 1.31 million (-23%), marking the lowest rated edition of the game since at least 2005 and the least-watched since at least 2007.
As previously noted, the NBA All-Star Game earned a record-low rating.
[Numbers from Nielsen via ShowBuzz Daily 2.20]
