Network NBA Execs Say No Impact Felt Yet From Donaghy Scandal

ESPN's, TNT's TV Ratings Not Hurt By Donaghy Scandal

Through the first week of the NBA season, the four ESPN telecasts averaged a 1.5 Nielsen rating, matching last season,  according to John Consoli of MEDIAWEEK. For the same telecasts, viewers are up 5%, the men 18-49 demo is up 16% and men 18-34 is up 34%.  TNT's three games delivered a 1.4, up 1% with men 18-49 up 11% and men 18-34 up 25%.  Meanwhile, Turner Sports Exec VP/Ad Sales Trish Frohman said, "We haven't felt the effects [of the Tim Donaghy scandal] at all. It never really came up in our conversations with advertisers." Frohman said that movie and auto categories "have shown the most growth this season," and TNT's NBA presenting sponsors -- AutoTrader.com for pregame, T-Mobile for halftime, Hyundai for post-game and Southwest Airlines for game breaks -- have "all re-upped." Converse signed on this season as ESPN/ABC's new tip-off show sponsor, and ESPN/ABC Sports Consumer Marketing & Sales President Ed Erhardt said that ad units sold thus far "are pacing double-digits ahead of last year." NBA Senior VP/Marketing Communications Mike Bass added, "We received no negative feedback from our sponsors" (MEDIAWEEK, 11/12 issue ).