Rockets-Warriors got off to a strong start in the overnight ratings; NASCAR Talladega overnights held steady at a multi-year low; Blue Jackets-Bruins scored a big increase on NBC.
Big overnight for Rockets-Warriors opener
Sunday’s Rockets-Warriors NBA semifinal Game 1 earned a 5.9 overnight rating on ABC, up 34% from last year (Jazz-Rockets Game 1: 4.4) and up 40% from 2017 (Jazz-Clippers Game 7: 4.2).
Excluding Christmas and the NBA Finals, Golden State’s win tied the highest NBA overnight on ABC since 2011 (Lakers-Mavericks Game 4: 6.5). Only Game 4 of Heat-Pacers in 2012 had as high an overnight over that span. Overnights peaked at an 8.1.
Last year’s Warriors-Rockets Western Conference Finals Game 1, which aired on TNT in primetime, had a 6.7 overnight.
Earlier in the day, Celtics-Bucks Game 1 had a 3.7 overnight — down 31% from Pacers-Cavaliers Game 7 last year (5.4), but up 16% from 2017 (Wizards-Celtics Game 1: 3.2). Boston’s win had a 14.3 rating in Milwaukee and a 9.3 in Boston, while Warriors-Rockets drew a 17.4 in the Bay Area and a 13.0 in Houston.
Figures for Saturday’s games on TNT were not available.
NASCAR Talladega overnights flat
NASCAR Cup Series racing from Talladega earned a 2.8 overnight rating on FOX Sunday, the same as last year, and down 18% from 2017 (3.4). The 2.8 is tied as the lowest for the race since at least 1998. The race has now set or tied a multi-year low in seven straight years.
Jackets-Bruins up nearly 30 percent on NBC
Saturday’s Blue Jackets-Bruins Stanley Cup semifinal Game 2 drew a 2.2 overnight rating on NBC, up 29% from last year (Sharks-Golden Knights: 1.7) and up 19% from Penguins-Capitals in 2017 (1.85). Excluding games that had a Kentucky Derby lead-in, the 2.2 is the highest for a first or second round playoff game on NBC in five years (2014 Blackhawks-Blues Game 6: 2.3).
The Blue Jackets’ win had a 17.1 rating in Boston and a 13.0 rating in Columbus, a record for the NHL on NBC in the latter market.
Earlier in the day, Stars-Blues Game 2 earned a 1.1 overnight — down 21% from last year (Bruins-Lightning Game 1: 1.4) and down 15% from 2017 (Rangers-Senators Game 2: 1.3). The game had a 10.3 in St. Louis and a 3.4 in Dallas-Ft. Worth.
On Sunday, Hurricanes-Islanders had a 1.2 overnight, down 20% from Penguins-Capitals last year (1.5) and down a tick from 2017 (Blues-Predators: 1.3). Avalanche-Sharks drew a 0.9 on NBCSN, down a tick from last year (Jets-Predators: 1.0), but up 29% from 2017 (Ducks-Oilers: 0.7).
[Numbers from ESPN PR 4.29, NBC Sports PR/Twitter 4.29 a, b, c, Fox Sports]
