Ratings roundup: a pair of recent NBA doubleheaders scored double-digit gains over 2019; the return of the F1 USGP scored a multi-year high; NASCAR Kansas ratings hit a new low; and more.
NBA sees gains on TNT, ESPN
Tuesday’s Sixers-Knicks NBA regular season game averaged 1.43 million viewers on TNT, up 71% from Bucks-Heat on the comparable night of last season, which began in December (837K). Compared to the previous traditional season two years ago, viewership increased 117% from Heat-Hawks on a Thursday night opposite the NFL (658K). TNT this season is shifting its NBA doubleheaders from Thursdays to Tuesdays to avoid the NFL.
The Nuggets-Jazz nightcap averaged 1.24 million, up 8% from last year’s December game (Pelicans-Suns: 1.15M) and up 59% from 2019 opposite the NFL (Nuggets-Pelicans: 784K).
In other action, last Friday’s Suns-Lakers game drew a 1.1 rating and 2.09 million viewers on ESPN — down a tick in ratings but up 17% in viewership from Jazz-Lakers in ’19 (1.2, 1.78M). Nets-Sixers drew a 0.9 (+29%) and 1.68 million (+52%) earlier in the night. ESPN averaged 1.82 million viewers for its Opening Week NBA doubleheaders, up 18% from 2019 and up 3% from 2018. Last year’s Opening Week slate included Christmas Day games.
F1 USGP scores big increase over previous edition
Last Sunday’s Formula 1 United States Grand Prix averaged a 0.7 rating and 1.23 million viewers on ABC, marking the largest live F1 audience since the 2017 Monaco Grand Prix on NBC (1.44M). Ratings increased 26% and viewership 42% from the last time the race was held in 2019 (0.6, 861K).
As noted by Sports Business Journal reporter Adam Stern, the F1 race averaged a larger audience in adults 18-49 (374K) than did the NASCAR Cup Series on NBCSN later in the day (354K).
F1 races are now averaging 945,000 viewers for the season, up 54% from the same number of races in last year’s delayed, shortened season.
NASCAR Kansas ratings hit low in NBCSN’s Cup Series swan song
The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs from Kansas averaged a 1.3 rating and 2.11 million viewers on NBCSN last Sunday, the lowest for the fall edition of the race since at least 2000 and 2001, respectively. Ratings and viewership fell 16% from last year (1.5, 2.51M) and 37% and 36% respectively from 2019 (2.0, 3.30M), when the race aired on broadcast. The race was the final scheduled Cup Series race on NBCSN, which is shutting down at the end of the year.
The corresponding Xfinity Series race chipped in a 0.8 and 1.31 million on NBC the previous day.
Plus: Top Rank, NHL, figure skating, gymnastics
The latest edition of ESPN’s Top Rank Boxing averaged a 0.8 rating and 1.31 million viewers following last Saturday’s Tennessee-Alabama college football game, the largest audience for the series since last November (1.76M). … ESPN averaged 385,000 viewers for Tuesday’s Golden Knights-Avalanche NHL regular season game, up 95% from a non-exclusive Lightning-Canadiens game on NBCSN in 2019 (197K). … Skate America, the first event in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, averaged a 0.6 and 976,000 on NBC last Sunday — up a tick in ratings and 27% in viewership from last year (0.5, 766K). … Coverage of the World Gymnastics Championships had a mere 0.34 and 504,000 on NBC last Sunday, down a sharp 52% in both measures from the previous edition in 2019, which featured Simone Biles (0.7, 1.05M).
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 10.26]
