ABC averaged a 5.8 overnight rating for the Pacers' 11-point win over the Heat yesterday in Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals, up 49% from the comparable Spurs-Grizzlies game in '13. The game was the third-highest rated ever for a Conference Final opener on the ESPN family of networks, but was down 8% from Heat-Pacers Game 1 last year, which aired on TNT and went to overtime.
ON THE FLY: NBC yesterday averaged a 1.9 overnight from 3:00-6:00pm ET for the Blackhawks' 3-1 win over the Kings in Game 1 of the NHL Western Conference Finals, flat compared to Bruins-Rangers Game 1 in '13. The net also garnered a 1.2 overnight on Saturday for the Rangers' blowout 7-2 win over the Canadiens in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, which is down 14% from a 1.4 figure last year for Blackhawks-Red Wings.
WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE: ESPN averaged a 1.5 overnight for its Tigers-Red Sox "Sunday Night Baseball" telecast last night, up 7% from a 1.4 overnight for the comparable Tigers-Rangers game last year. Last night's matchup scored a 13.3 local rating in Detroit, marking ESPN's highest-rated regular season telecast on record in the market.
The chart below lists overnight ratings from weekend sports telecasts on broadcast TV.
| TELECAST |
DATE
|
NET
|
TIME (ET)
|
RATING
|
| Indianapolis 500 qualifying |
5/17
|
ABC
|
4:00-6:00pm
|
0.8
|
| PGA Tour: Byron Nelson Championship: Third Round |
5/17
|
CBS
|
3:00-6:00pm
|
1.2
|
| NHL Eastern Conference Finals: Rangers-Canadiens: Game 1 |
5/17
|
NBC
|
1:00-3:45pm
|
1.2
|
| Preakness Stakes: Prerace |
5/17
|
NBC
|
3:45-4:30pm
|
1.3
|
| Preakness Stakes: Prerace |
5/17
|
NBC
|
4:30-5:00pm
|
2.4
|
| Preakness Stakes: Prerace |
5/17
|
NBC
|
5:00-5:45pm
|
2.8
|
| Preakness Stakes: Race segment |
5/17
|
NBC
|
5:45-6:45pm
|
6.3
|
| Indianapolis 500 qualifying |
5/18
|
ABC
|
1:00-3:00pm
|
1.2
|
| NBA Eastern Conference Finals: Heat-Pacers: Game 1 |
5/18
|
ABC
|
3:30-6:00pm
|
5.8
|
| PGA Tour: Byron Nelson Championship: Final Round |
5/18
|
CBS
|
3:00-6:15pm
|
1.6
|
| Cycling: Tour of California: Final Stage |
5/18
|
NBC
|
1:00-3:00pm
|
0.5
|
| NHL Western Conference Finals: Kings-Blackhawks: Game 1 |
5/18
|
NBC
|
3:00-6:00pm
|
1.9
|
