Solid numbers for the long-awaited induction of one of basketball’s greatest Hall of Fame classes. Plus: NASCAR scored a bump at Dover; Sunday Night Baseball hit a season-low; plus, a steep drop for the FCS national championship and more.
Over 700K for delayed induction of Bryant, Duncan, Garnett
The months-delayed induction of the 2020 Basketball Hall of Fame class — headlined by Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and the late Kobe Bryant — averaged 711,000 viewers on ESPN last Saturday evening. ESPN had not carried the event since Michael Jordan’s 2009 induction, which averaged 1.66 million in its usual September date. Figures for the previous induction in September 2019, which aired solely on NBA TV, were not available.
NASCAR sees Dover bump; Indy GP dips from last May edition
Last Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover averaged a 1.5 rating and 2.43 million viewers on FS1, marking the largest audience at the track since 2018 — the last time the spring race there was run as scheduled (2.77M). Ratings increased 36% and viewership 37% from last year’s first Dover race, which took place on a Saturday in August as part of a doubleheader weekend (1.1, 1.77M).
The previous day’s Xfinity Series race at Dover drew a 0.47 and 734,000. It aired opposite IndyCar’s Indianapolis Grand Prix on NBC, which drew a 0.6 and 1.03 million — down 25% in ratings and 10% in viewership from last year, when it aired July 4 as the first half of an unprecedented NASCAR-IndyCar doubleheader (0.8, 1.14M). Versus the previous May edition in 2019, ratings fell a tick and viewership 4% (from 1.07M).
In other racing action, taped NHRA eliminations from Charlotte drew a 0.48 and 818,000 immediately following last Sunday’s aforementioned Cup race — the highest since the season opener (albeit a span of just three races).
Slow week for Sunday Night Baseball
Cardinals-Padres averaged a 0.8 rating and 1.35 million viewers on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball last weekend, down 23% in ratings and 21% in viewership from the seventh Sunday night game in 2019 (5/12/19 Brewers-Cubs: 1.0, 1.71M). Compared to the seventh game of last year’s delayed, shortened season — Cardinals-Cubs on Labor Day weekend — ratings increased a tick and viewership 13% (from 1.21M). It ranks as the least-watched Sunday night game thus far.
The same matchup drew a 0.30 and 509,000 on FS1 the previous night, preceded by A’s-Twins at a 0.17 and 287,000. Going back to last week, ESPN drew a 0.30 and 515,000 for Yankees-Rays May 11.
Plus: FCS, PGA Tour, Spring League, UFC
Last Sunday’s Sam Houston State-South Dakota State NCAA FCS national championship, which was delayed more than an hour during the second quarter due to lightning, averaged a 0.55 rating and 905,000 viewers on ABC — down 69% in ratings and 66% in viewership from last year, when it took place in January (1.8, 2.69M). It was the least-watched FCS title game since at least 2012. … Rain-delayed final round coverage of the PGA Tour Byron Nelson tournament averaged a 1.1 and 1.84 million on CBS last Sunday, down 31% in ratings and 24% in viewership from the last time the event was held in 2019 (1.6, 2.45M). The previous day’s third round was higher at a 1.2 and 1.96 million, up 20% and 34% respectively from 2019 (1.0, 1.47M). … The second edition of The Spring League on FOX averaged a 0.28 and 448,000 last weekend, up 17% from the previous week (0.24, 380K). … UFC 262 prelims averaged a 0.45 and 787,000 on ESPN last Saturday, down 8% and 17% respectively from the previous PPV prelims last month (0.45, 951K).
[Basketball Hall of Fame estimates from ESPN]
