Can NBA Playoffs Maintain TV Momentum Following Celtics-Bulls?

NBA Hopes Ratings Earned By Celtics-Bulls Series Will Be Seen For All Future Matchups

SHIPPING UP: While final ratings for TNT's national broadcast of Celtics-Bulls Game Seven have yet to be released, CSN New England earned a 10.1 local rating in the Boston DMA for the game, breaking the RSN's previous record rating of 8.2 set during Celtics-Bulls Game Six. The rating also surpassed local ratings of 7.7 for the Kentucky Derby on NBC and 8.6 for the Red Sox-Rays game on NESN. For the series, CSN New England averaged a 7.3 rating (CSN).

PLAYING NICE ON THE ICE: In Toronto, Chris Zelkovich reported the CBC and TSN "traded hockey games last week, mainly to solve a couple of conflicts," and "regardless of the reason, it served viewers very well." TSN Friday planned to air Hurricanes-Bruins Eastern Conference Semifinal Game One and move Ducks-Red Wings Western Conference Semifinal Game One to TSN2, but the net instead moved Ducks-Red Wings to the CBC, which "had no hockey that night." The move "meant not only a big audience for CBC but a lot of satisfied Rogers [Cable] customers, who still can't get TSN2 until a deal is announced." The CBC in return gave TSN its May 11 Penguins-Capitals Eastern Conference Semifinal Game Six. Meanwhile, the CBC Saturday drew 261,000 viewers for MLS Crew-Toronto FC, the "biggest audience of the season" for Toronto FC (THESTAR.com, 5/4).

PLAYOFF PAYOFF: NESN earned a 9.5 local rating in Boston for Friday's Hurricanes-Bruins Game One, marking the network's highest Bruins rating this season and the third-highest rated Bruins broadcast ever on NESN (NESN).

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