The following lists final national and cable Nielsen
ratings from recent sports events (THE DAILY):
EVENT DATE NET TIME RAT/SHR
NTRA: Florida Derby 3/11 ABC 5:30-6:00 2.5/6
NCAA Men's B-Ball: (Conf. USA) 3/11 CBS 12:30-2:45pm 1.5/5
NCAA Men's B-Ball: (Big 10) 3/11 CBS 2:45-4:45pm 1.8/5
NCAA Men's B-Ball: (Big 10) 3/11 CBS 4:45-7:00pm 2.3/5
PGA: Honda Classic -- 3rd Rd. 3/11 NBC 3:00-6:00pm 2.1/6
Ford Downhill Skiing 3/11 Fox 4:00-5:00pm 1.4/4
NASCAR: Cracker Barrel 500 3/12 ABC 1:00-5:00pm 5.7/15
NCAA Men's B-Ball: (SEC) 3/12 CBS 1:00-3:30pm 2.0/5
NCAA Men's B-Ball: (Big 10) 3/12 CBS 3:30-6:00pm 3.2/8
NCAA Tournament Selection Show 3/12 CBS 6:30-7:00pm 5.9/12
"NBA Showtime" 3/12 NBC noon-12:30pm 1.8/6
"NBA on NBC": (regional) 3/12 NBC 12:30-3:00pm 2.3/6
PGA: Honda Classic -- 4th Rd. 3/12 NBC 3:00-6:00pm 2.9/7
"NBA on NBC": (regional) 3/12 NBC 6:00-8:30pm 3.4/6
US COV
EVENT DATE NET AREA AREA SHR 000
NBA: (Knicks-Heat) 2/28 TBS 1.0 1.3 2 983
NCAA Men's B-Ball: (PUR-IND) 2/29 ESPN 1.0 1.4 2 1054
NCAA Men's B-Ball: (UK-MSST) 2/29 ESPN 0.9 1.2 2 914
NBA: Lakers-T'Blazers 2/29 TNT 1.5 1.9 4 1487
NCAA Men's B-Ball: (CIN-DEP) 3/2 ESPN 1.0 1.3 2 987
NBA: Pacers-Lakers 3/3 TNT 1.1 1.5 3 1154
BGN: Sams Town 300 3/4 ESPN2 1.1 1.6 4 1080
NBA RATINGS: The "NBA on NBC" is averaging a 3.6/8
rating through 22 telecasts, down 16% from last year's final
season average rating of a 4.3/10 (NBC). USA TODAY's Rudy
Martzke reports that Turner's NBA coverage is averaging a
1.3 rating, down 23% from last year. Turner Sports
President Mark Lazarus, on the drop: "Sure, we're concerned.
We are going to work with the league to create excitability
about our package. This is a short-term speed bump."
Lazarus said that advertisers would be given make-good ads
"among other adjustments to offset the ratings loss."
Martzke notes that NBC's NBA contract calls for seven prime-
time NBA games before the playoffs and questions if the NBA
would "agree to an adjustment to more daytime games until
the public is attracted to the league's new stars?"
Martzke: "Bet that talks will be held" (USA TODAY, 3/17).
For broadcast numbers, one ratings point = 1,008,000
homes. For cable, "Cov. Area" = % of homes tuned in to that
program in that network's universe of subscribers.
