Thursday Night Football scored a double-digit increase, albeit with a major caveat. Plus: more numbers for the Opening Week of the NBA, the second week of the NHL, and NASCAR’s playoffs.
Broncos-Browns up big from last year, with presidential caveat
Broncos-Browns averaged a 7.3 rating and 12.99 million viewers on the latest NFL Thursday Night Football simulcast on FOX and NFL Network, up 24% in ratings and 29% in viewership from Giants-Eagles opposite a presidential debate last year (5.9, 10.07M), but down 5% and 12% respectively from Chiefs-Broncos in 2019 (8.3, 13.68M).
The Browns’ win was the lowest rated and least-watched primetime NFL game on broadcast so far this season. Including additional streaming data not tracked by Nielsen, the game averaged 13.1 million (+23%).
ESPN opens its NBA schedule with four-year high
ESPN aired its most-watched season-opening NBA doubleheader in four years Wednesday, averaging 1.74 million viewers for Celtics-Knicks and Nuggets-Suns. In particular, Celtics-Knicks averaged 1.96 million — the network’s top opening game since 2013 (Heat-Nets: 2.45M).
The double-overtime thriller, which peaked with 2.87 million from 10:30-10:45 PM ET, actually declined 2% from the comparable window last season, Bucks-Celtics on TNT in late December (2.00M). Compared to the last traditional season two years ago, viewership increased 15% from Celtics-Sixers on ESPN opposite the World Series (1.70M).
The game drew a 4.0 rating in Boston and a 3.5 in New York, the latter ranking as the rating for a regular season Knicks game on national TV since 2017.
The Nuggets-Suns nightcap drew 1.37 million, up 13% from last year (Mavericks-Suns: 1.22M) and up 2% from 2019 (Nuggets-Blazers: 1.35M). On Thursday, TNT drew 1.71 million for Clippers-Warriors and 1.07 million for Mavericks-Hawks — down 45% and 24% respectively from a 2019 doubleheader that did not face MLB (Bucks-Rockets: 1.94M; Clippers-Warriors: 2.26M).
NHL scores big growth in week two of ESPN/TNT era
Tuesday’s Islanders-Blackhawks NHL regular season game averaged 558,000 viewers on ESPN, up 157% from Sharks-Predators on NBCSN in 2019 (217K). On Wednesday night, TNT drew 542,000 for Bruins-Flyers and 395,000 for Blues-Golden Knights — up 27% and 128% respectively from the comparable 2019 doubleheader on NBCSN (Devils-Flyers: 428K; Kings-Canucks: 173K).
Of the six nationally televised NHL windows that can be compared to 2019, each has increased double-digits and four have increased triple-digits.
NASCAR Cup Series hits broadcast TV low at Texas
Last Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series playoff race from Texas averaged a 1.5 rating and 2.44 million viewers on NBC, marking the least-watched Cup Series race on broadcast television since at least 2000. The previous low was 2.51 million for last year’s Kansas race on NBC.
Kyle Larson’s win increased 9% in ratings and 11% in viewership from the last time the fall Texas race was run as scheduled, 2019 on NBCSN (1.4, 2.20M). Last year’s fall race was postponed to Monday due to rain and had a 0.7 and 1.20 million.
The corresponding Xfinity Series race drew a 0.8 and 1.19 million on NBC last Saturday, up 63% and 45% respectively from last year on NBCSN (0.48, 820K).
[Nielsen estimates from Programming Insider 10.22, ShowBuzz Daily 10.19, 10.20, 10.21, 10.22; network PR]
