Final Nielsen Ratings From Weekend Sports Events

The following lists final Nielsen ratings from weekend sports events (THE DAILY).

NBA PLAYOFFS: ABC is averaging a 4.2/10 for its three broadcasts, down 7% from a 4.5/12 through three telecasts last season. Through 21 first-round telecasts, excluding Tuesday's Hornets-Heat Game Seven, TNT averaged a 2.3/ (2,041,000 HHs), even with the 2.3/ (2,019,000 HHs) for 27 first-round games in '03. ESPN's 13 first-round telecasts averaged a 2.1/ (1,899,000 HHs), off 5% from a 2.2/ (1,871,000 HHs) for 11 first-round games last year (THE DAILY)....Hornets-Heat Game Seven earned a combined 8.2/ (123,877 HHs) in Miami-Ft. Lauderdale — 5.4 on TNT; 2.8 on Sunshine Network (MIAMI HERALD, 5/6)....The playoffs helped TNT to a win in adults 18-49 (1.0), adults 25-54 (1.1), adults 18-34 (1.0) and total viewers (2.68 million) last week (DAILY VARIETY, 5/5).

NHL PLAYOFFS: Through two rounds, ABC averaged 1,981,902 viewers, up 12% from last year's 1,766,771; ESPN averaged 748,021, up 12% from 665,081; and ESPN2 averaged 491,506, up 18% from 414,866 (THE DAILY). The CBC averaged 1.895 million viewers for the second round, up 13% from '03, while its overall coverage is averaging 1.953 million viewers, up 16%. TSN's second-round viewership was off 33% from a year ago (GLOBE & MAIL, 5/6).

DETROIT ROCK CITY: FSN Detroit recorded a 14.1/27 for Monday's Red Wings-Flames Game Six, "the most-watched [game] ever on" the net and the "fourth time FSN's record has been broken this season." The previous record was a 14.0 for Predators-Red Wings Game Five. Monday's Nets-Pistons Game One earned a 12.5/17 on TNT (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 5/5). FSN Detroit's Tigers' ratings through nine games were up 69% over the same number of games last year, and up 96% over last year's season average. The 8.3 for the April 8 home opener "was a FSN record for a Tigers' game" (DETROIT NEWS, 5/5).

ESPN: April was ESPN's tenth consecutive month of year-to-year ratings increases. The net averaged a 0.7 for total day viewing, up 17% over '03 and 40% over '02. ESPN2 posted its most-viewed April ever in total day and primetime viewing for total HHs and among men 18-34, men 18-49 and men 25-54. Total day audience was up 25% to 231,000 (up from 184,000 in '03) while primetime increased 29% to 494,000 (up from 383,000) (ESPN)....The first 11 telecasts of ESPN2's "Friday Night Fights" averaged a 0.6/ (492,565 HHs), up 20% and 13%, respectively. Ratings were also up among men 18-49 (20%) and men 25-54 (25%).

NOTES: Sunday's Auto Club 500 was up 15% from last year's 5.3/13. Fox is averaging a 5.9/15 through nine NASCAR Nextel Cup broadcasts, down 2% from a 6.0/15 for nine comparable races in '03. Saturday's Stater Bros. 300 was down 5% from the 2.0/5 last year. Fox is averaging a 2.0/6 through four Busch Series telecasts, off 5% for the comparable three races last year (THE DAILY)....Nextel Cup ratings in Miami-Ft. Lauderdale have "surged 32[%] in the area, second only to Orlando's" 36% (MIAMI HERALD, 5/6).... "AFL on NBC" Week Ten coverage was up 17% from the comparable 0.6/2 last year (THE DAILY)....FSN Florida's 12 Marlins broadcasts in April averaged a 4.5, "the highest April average in station history." The previous April record was a 4.0 in '97 (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 5/5).