Masters third round ratings hit a four-year high in the metered markets. Also: a move to primetime lifted ABC’s NBA playoff opener; NASCAR Richmond overnights edged last year’s record-low; the Stanley Cup Playoffs was trending up through two nights.
Masters third round overnights hit four-year high
Saturday’s third round of the Masters earned a 6.0 overnight rating on CBS, up 5% from last year (5.7), up 30% from 2017 (4.6), and the highest for the third round of the tournament since 2015 (6.5). Overnights peaked at a 7.0 from 6-6:15 PM ET.
Tiger Woods finished the round one shot back of the lead in a tie for second.
For the third straight day, Greenville, S.C., led all markets with a 10.8 rating. Florida markets West Palm Beach and Ft. Myers followed with a 10.6 and 10.3, respectively. Minneapolis-St. Paul (10.2) and Nashville (9.5) rounded out the top five.
Primetime slot boosts Clippers-Warriors overnights on ABC
Saturday’s Clippers-Warriors first round NBA Playoffs Game 1 earned a 3.8 overnight rating on ABC, up 15% from last year (Spurs-Warriors: 3.3) and up 31% from 2017 (Pacers-Cavaliers: 2.9). Those games aired in the afternoon; this year’s game aired in primetime.
The 3.8 is the highest on the opening day of the playoffs in three years, since Rockets-Warriors in 2016 (3.9).
Overnights for the three games on ESPN were not immediately available.
NASCAR Richmond overnights edge last year’s low
NASCAR Cup Series racing from Richmond (Va.) delivered a 1.8 overnight rating on FOX, up a tick from last year (1.7), but down a third from 2017 (3.3). It was the sixth of nine races this season to post an increase in the metered markets. Despite the bump, the 1.8 is tied as the second-lowest for a Cup Series race on broadcast television since at least 2000.
Stanley Cup trending at high through Thursday
Thursday’s Maple Leafs-Bruins first round Stanley Cup playoff Game 1 scored a 0.40 rating and 640,000 viewers on NBCSN, up 8% in ratings and 9% in viewership from the same matchup last year (0.37, 586K), but down 11% and 17% respectively from 2017 (Predators-Blackhawks: 0.45, 769K).
Figures for Saturday’s Game 2 on NBC were not immediately available.
Also Thursday, Hurricanes-Capitals Game 1 drew a 0.37 (+19%) and 577,000 (+19%) on USA, while Avalanche-Flames had a 0.36 (-5%) and 556,000 (-15%) on NBCSN. Through Thursday, the Stanley Cup Playoffs averaged 551,000 viewers (including streaming) — up 6% from last year (520K) and NBC Sports’ highest two-day average on record (dates back to 2006).
[Numbers from The Futon Critic 4.14, Fox Sports, Programming Insider 4.12]
