Golf Channel posted its most-watched April in the 21-year history of the network this month, averaging 137,000 viewers per day. That viewership total marks a 4% increase over '15, when the net drew 132,000 viewers. Golf Channel also saw a 15% increase in viewership for Q1 over last year. Individual tournament coverage saw a 10% increase in April over '15, led by the LPGA (+14%) and European tours (+43%), and PGA Tour Champions events (+18%). Viewership for PGA Tour telecasts was up 2%. For the month, Golf Channel drew nearly 15.8 million unique viewers (THE DAILY).
TREATED LIKE ROYALTY: The Royals through April 24 were averaging a 13.8 local rating on FS K.C., up 15% over the "first 16 games last season." Of the 16 games shown this year, 15 "were the highest-rated program that day" in the market. On the heels of their World Series title, the Royals are "on pace to have the best April rating for any MLB team" since '02 when the Mariners drew a 15.6 (KANSASCITY.com, 4/27).
NOTES: Sunday's Warriors-Rockets Game 4 drew 7.24 million viewers on ABC, making it the most-watched first round NBA Playoffs game on any network since Lakers-Trail Blazers Game 1 in '02. Sunday's viewership is up 11% over the comparable Clippers-Spurs matchup in '15....The Thunder averaged a combined 13.7 local rating for their five-game series win over the Mavericks, down 32% from a 20.2 for their last first-round series, a seven-game affair against the Grizzlies in '14 (OKLAHOMAN.com, 4/27)....HBO drew 1.32 million viewers Saturday night for Gennady Golovkin's win over Dominic Wade to retain his middleweight title, marking the net's "most watched boxing event of the year" (OCREGISTER.com, 4/27).
The chart below lists final audience figures from recent sports telecasts.
| TELECAST |
DATE
|
NET
|
TIME (ET)
|
RAT.
|
VIEWERS
(000)
|
NBA: Warriors-Rockets: Game 4
|
4/24
|
ABC
|
3:45-6:30pm
|
4.5
|
7,238
|
NASCAR: Toyota Owners 400 (Richmond)
|
4/24
|
Fox
|
1:15-4:30pm
|
3.1
|
4,700
|
NBA: Warriors-Rockets: Game 3
|
4/21
|
TNT
|
9:53pm-12:33am
|
2.9
|
4,583
|
NBA: Cavaliers-Pistons: Game 4
|
4/24
|
TNT
|
8:52-11:22pm
|
2.8
|
4,484
|
NBA: Rockets-Warriors: Game 2
|
4/18
|
TNT
|
10:44pm-1:29am
|
2.8
|
4,416
|
NBA: Spurs-Grizzlies: Game 4
|
4/24
|
ABC
|
1:00-3:45pm
|
2.3
|
3,498
|
NBA: Cavaliers-Pistons: Game 3
|
4/20
|
TNT
|
8:09-10:47pm
|
2.2
|
3,420
|
NBA: Thunder-Mavericks: Game 2
|
4/18
|
TNT
|
8:09-10:44pm
|
2.0
|
3,205
|
NBA: Hawks-Celtics: Game 4
|
4/24
|
TNT
|
6:09-8:52pm
|
1.9
|
3,081
|
NBA: Spurs-Grizzlies: Game 2
|
4/19
|
TNT
|
9:38pm-12:08am
|
1.9
|
3,040
|
NHL: Blues-Blackhawks: Game 6
|
4/23
|
NBC
|
8:00-11:00pm
|
1.6
|
2,822
|
NBA: Clippers-Trail Blazers: Game 3
|
4/23
|
ESPN
|
10:57pm-1:16am
|
1.8
|
2,798
|
NBA: Thunder-Mavericks: Game 4
|
4/23
|
ESPN
|
8:05-10:57pm
|
1.8
|
2,756
|
NBA: Spurs-Grizzlies: Game 3
|
4/22
|
ESPN
|
9:39pm-12:04am
|
1.7
|
2,685
|
PGA Tour: Valero Texas Open: Final Round
|
4/24
|
CBS
|
3:00-6:00pm
|
1.5
|
2,224
|
"Fox NASCAR Sunday"
|
4/24
|
Fox
|
12:30-1:17pm
|
1.5
|
2,170
|
NHL: Capitals-Flyers: Game 6
|
4/24
|
NBC
|
12:00-3:00pm
|
1.2
|
1,745
|
NHL: Penguins-Rangers: Game 5
|
4/23
|
NBC
|
3:00-6:00pm
|
1.0
|
1,569
|
NHL: Stars-Wild: Game 6
|
4/24
|
NBC
|
3:00-6:00pm
|
1.0
|
1,517
|
PGA Tour: Valero Texas Open: Third Round
|
4/23
|
CBS
|
3:00-6:00pm
|
1.1
|
1,507
|
"NBA Countdown"
|
4/24
|
ABC
|
12:30-1:00pm
|
0.9
|
1,280
|
CONCACAF Champions League:
Tigres UANL-Club America
|
4/20
|
UniMas
|
9:30pm-12:00am
|
0.6
|
1,231
|
Figure Skating: KOSE Team Challenge Cup (taped)
|
4/24
|
CBS
|
1:00-3:00pm
|
0.6
|
880
|
Monster Energy Supercross (Foxborough)
|
4/23
|
Fox
|
4:00-7:30pm
|
0.4
|
626
|
"NFL Championship Chase: The Draft"
|
4/23
|
Fox
|
2:30-3:30pm
|
0.4
|
543
|
"World of X Games: Revolt TV"
|
4/23
|
ABC
|
3:00-3:30pm
|
0.3
|
499
|
Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series
|
4/23
|
CBS
|
2:00-3:00pm
|
0.4
|
489
|
"Keepers of the Game"
|
4/23
|
ABC
|
3:30-5:00pm
|
0.3
|
428
|
"Monster Energy Supercross Pre-race"
|
4/23
|
Fox
|
3:30-4:00pm
|
0.3
|
427
|
