Viewership increased for Friday’s four-overtime Nuggets-Blazers game. Also: Stanley Cup playoff viewership remains at a seven-year high; Sunday Night Baseball posted a rare bump; the Kentucky Oaks fell from last year’s high.
Viewership up for 4OT Nuggets-Blazers game
Friday’s four-overtime Nuggets-Blazers NBA semifinal Game 3 earned 4.06 million viewers on ESPN, up 5% from last year (Rockets-Jazz: 3.47M), but down 26% from 2017 (Spurs-Rockets: 4.91M). Ratings were not immediately available.
Of the 50 playoff games that can be compared to last year (Through Friday), Portland’s win was just the 11th to post an increase.
Earlier in the night, Bucks-Celtics Game 3 had 4.06 million — down 2% from last year (Warriors-Pelicans: 4.16M), but up 11% from 2017 (Cavaliers-Raptors: 3.64M).
In other action, Sunday’s Raptors-Sixers Game 4 had a 3.9 overnight rating on ABC (-5%). As previously noted, ABC pulled a 5.5 overnight for Saturday’s Warriors-Rockets Game 3.
Stanley Cup still at seven-year high through Friday
Through Friday, the Stanley Cup Playoffs has averaged 962,000 viewers across NBC Sports’ TV and digital platforms, the highest average since 2012 (1.02M).
On Friday night, Stars-Blues Game 5 earned 1.14 million viewers on NBCSN — up 7% from last year (Sharks-Golden Knights: 1.07M) and up 101% from 2017 (Oilers-Ducks: 568K).
The clinching Islanders-Hurricanes Game 4 drew 1.02 million earlier in the night, down 39% from last year (Lightning-Bruins: 1.68M) and down 9% from 2017 (Predators-Blues: 1.11M). Ratings were not immediately available for Friday’s games.
Cubs-Cards gives Sunday Night Baseball first bump of season
Cubs-Cardinals scored a 1.2 overnight rating on the latest edition of ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball, up 20% from the same matchup last year. Should those results hold, the Cubs’ blowout win would mark just the first Sunday Night Baseball game to increase all season.
Kentucky Oaks down, but nears high
Horse racing’s Kentucky Oaks earned 286,000 viewers on NBCSN Friday evening, down 21% from last year (363K), but up 5% from 2017 (272K). Though down from last year, it was the second-most watched edition of the race since at least 2012.
[Numbers from Nielsen via ShowBuzz Daily 5.6, Sports Business Daily 5.6, ESPN PR/Twitter 5.6]
