NBA Ratings Up On ABC, Down On Cable At Mid-Season

THE DAILY presents Nielsen ratings for NBA games season-to-date across all of the league’s national TV partners (THE DAILY).

HAPPY TOGETHER: Turner Sports President David Levy, on TNT’s $2B deal with the NBA: “At the end of this six-year agreement, we will make money on the deal. We are right where we’re supposed to be” (USA TODAY, 2/18). Levy, on the net’s NBA ratings: “I’m pretty happy with the numbers. We had double-digit growth the last two years prior to this, so even though we’re slightly down, we’re in good position.” Meanwhile, an ESPN spokesperson “pointed to several factors for the falloff” in NBA ratings for the network: ESPN earned a 2.8 for Cavaliers F LeBron James’ pro debut last season, as well as a 2.3 for the first match-up between the Cavaliers and Carmelo Anthony’s Nuggets; the Lakers’ changed roster; and James and Lakers G Kobe Bryant “were absent from recent telecasts” (MULTICHANNEL NEWS, 2/14 issue).

ROCKETS: FSN Southwest registered a 6.0 for Wizards-Rockets on Tuesday, the Rockets’ best rating on FSN since May ’99. FSN’s ratings for Rockets games averaged a 1.6 in November, 2.3 in December, 2.4 in January and 3.3 so far in February (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 2/18).

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