The first two rounds of the NHL Playoffs across NBC, NBC Sports Net and CNBC averaged 1.06 million viewers, marking the most-viewed first two rounds on record since ’94. The conference semifinals averaged 1.32 million viewers making them the most-viewed second round on record (NBC). Meanwhile, The GLOBE & MAIL’s Bruce Dowbiggin noted while NBC and the NHL "are salivating over a Kings/Rangers Stanley Cup Finals, Canadian broadcasters are hoping for better luck next year.” CBC’s coverage of the Rangers-Capitals Eastern Conference Semifinals averaged over 1.5 million viewers a game while the Devils-Flyers semifinals series averaged over 1.4 million. By comparison, the Canucks' playoff games in '11 “averaged 2.8 million viewers a game.” The “last time no Canadian teams made it past Round 1” was ‘96 when games averaged 1.36 million viewers (GLOBE & MAIL, 5/16).
THUNDER STRUCK: TNT's Monday night telecast of the Lakers-Thunder NBA Western Conference Semifinals Game One broke the Thunder’s ratings record with a 27.1 local rating in Oklahoma City. The previous record was 27.0 rating for Mavericks-Thunder Western Conference Finals Game Four on ESPN last year (NEWSOK.com, 5/15). Meanwhile, TNT earned a 12.5 local rating in Tulsa for Game Two of the Lakers-Thunder series on Wednesday night, marking the “largest audience ever for a Thunder telecast” in the market (TULSA WORLD, 5/18).
NOTES: ESPN/ESPN2 averaged 321,000 viewers for coverage of the EPL during the ’11-12 season, marking its most-viewed EPL season yet. That figure is also up 7% from last season. Three games this season ranked among the net’s top five most-viewed matches as well, including last Sunday’s Manchester City title clincher against Queens Park Rangers (ranks third at 600,000 viewers). ESPN Deportes also averaged 58,000 Hispanic viewers for EPL coverage, up 4% (ESPN)….Golf Channel averaged 171,000 viewers for its week-long coverage of The Players last week, marking the net’s best average ever for coverage of the PGA Tour event (Golf Channel).
The charts below lists final Nielsen ratings from recent sports telecasts. All ratings listed are U.S. ratings. Figures for ABC were unavailable at presstime.
| TELECAST | DATE | NET | TIME (ET) | RAT. |
NASCAR Sprint Cup:
Bojangles Southern 500 (Darlington) | 5/12 | Fox | 7:15-11:00pm | 3.8 |
| PGA Tour: The Players: Final Round | 5/13 | NBC | 2:00-7:00pm | 3.2 |
| PGA Tour: The Players: Third Round | 5/12 | NBC | 2:00-7:00pm | 2.3 |
| MLB: (regional) | 5/12 | Fox | 1:00-4:00pm | 1.3 |
| PBR: Boise Invitational | 5/13 | CBS | 4:00-5:00pm | 0.6 |
| Lucas Oil Off-Road Pro2 & Pro4 (taped) | 5/13 | CBS | 5:00-6:00pm | 0.6 |
| "Golf Central Live" | 5/13 | NBC | 1:30-2:00pm | 0.6 |
| "Golf Central Live" | 5/12 | NBC | 1:30-2:00pm | 0.5 |
| "Global Golf Adventure" | 5/12 | NBC | 1:00-1:30pm | 0.4 |
| NCAA Championships Winter Highlight Show | 5/13 | CBS | 3:00-4:00pm | 0.3 |
| TELECAST | DATE | NET | TIME (ET) | RAT. | VIEWERS (000) |
NBA Western Conference First Round:
Lakers-Nuggets: Game Seven | 5/12 | TNT | 10:43pm-1:31am | 4.1 | 6,464 |
NBA Western Conference First Round:
Lakers-Nuggets: Game Six | 5/10 | TNT | 10:49pm-1:24am | 3.0 | 4,339 |
NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals:
76ers-Celtics: Game One | 5/12 | TNT | 8:00-10:43pm | 2.9 | 4,253 |
NBA Western Conference First Round:
Lakers-Nuggets: Game Five | 5/8 | TNT | 10:49pm-1:30am | 2.8 | 4,195 |
NBA Eastern Conference First Round:
Heat-Knicks: Game Four | 5/9 | TNT | 7:09-9:43pm | 2.6 | 4,102 |
NBA Western Conference First Round:
Clippers-Grizzlies: Game Five | 5/9 | TNT | 9:43pm-12:41am | 2.6 | 4,016 |
NBA Western Conference First Round:
Clippers-Grizzlies: Game Six | 5/11 | ESPN | 9:04-11:55pm | 2.4 | 3,831 |
NBA Eastern Conference First Round:
Celtics-Hawks: Game Five | 5/8 | TNT | 8:09-10:49pm | 2.4 | 3,687 |
NBA Eastern Conference First Round:
Celtics-Hawks: Game Six | 5/10 | TNT | 8:08-10:49pm | 2.5 | 3,627 |
NBA Western Conference First Round:
Clippers-Grizzlies: Game Four | 5/7 | TNT | 10:45pm-2:09am | 2.3 | 3,313 |
