Overnight Ratings: Linsanity Gives ESPN Ratings Boost For Lakers-Knicks Matchup

Weekend sports telecasts were led by CBS’ coverage of yesterday's final round of the PGA Tour AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, which got its best overnight in 15 years. ESPN was the beneficiary of the rise of Knicks G Jeremy Lin on Friday night, as the Lakers-Knicks matchup earned a 2.1 overnight Nielsen rating, up 23.5% from a 1.7 rating for the matchup on the same night on ESPN last year. When final numbers are released, the game will likely be ESPN’s second-best NBA game this season, behind only the Jan. 11 Heat-Clippers matchup. ABC pulled a 3.1 overnight for Celtics-Bulls on Sunday afternoon, down 24% from the comparable Lakers-Magic matchup last year. Among college basketball telecasts, Saturday’s Michigan State-Ohio State game from 6:15-8:15pm ET on ESPN led the way with a 1.7 overnight. Listed below are overnight Nielsen ratings from weekend sports telecasts on broadcast TV.

TELECAST	DATE	NET	TIME (ET)	RAT.
"The Big Time: Episode 4"	2/11	ABC	3::00-4:00pm	0.4
"ESPN Sports Saturday"	2/11	ABC	4:00-6:00pm	0.5
NCAA Basketball: UConn-Syracuse	2/11	CBS	1:00-3:00pm	1.1
PGA Tour: AT&T Pebble Beach Nat'l Pro-Am: Third Round	2/11	CBS	3:00-6:00pm	2.8
Skiing: Visa Freestyle Int'l	2/11	NBC	1:00-2:00pm	0.7
Winter Dew Tour: Toyota Championships	2/11	NBC	2:00-3:30pm	0.8
USA Sevens Rugby	2/11	NBC	3:30-6:00pm	0.7
"NBA Countdown"	2/12	ABC	3:00-3:30pm	1.2
NBA: Bulls-Celtics	2/12	ABC	3:30-6:00pm	3.1
NCAA Basketball: Illinois-Michigan	2/12	CBS	1:00-3:00pm	1.5
PGA Tour: AT&T Pebble Beach Nat'l Pro-Am: Final Round	2/12	CBS	3:00-6:00pm	5.1
NHL: Capitals-Rangers	2/12	NBC	12:30-3:00pm	1.0
Winter Dew Tour: Toyota Championships	2/12	NBC	3:00-4:30pm	0.7
USA Sevens Rugby	2/12	NBC	4:30-6:00pm	0.6