LeBron James' first three games with the Lakers -- all nationally televised -- tip off at 10:30pm ETNBAE/getty images
The NBA and its TV partners are "content" keeping the bulk of Western Conference teams’ games in "primetime locally" despite a dearth of star power in the Eastern Conference, according to Jacob Feldman of SI.com. The Lakers' first three games -- all nationally televised -- begin at 10:30pm ET. ESPN Exec VP/Programming & Scheduling Burke Magnus said the programming and scheduling is "not a big concern." Magnus: "Everybody understands how time zones work and the sports fan knows where and when to find the Lakers." Feldman noted ESPN is "so unconcerned about the late games that it has added original programming to the end of its productions, launching a 15-minute 'After the Buzzer' show, the company’s first NBA postgame program." NBA data also "suggests that the league’s young fan base is willing to stay up." NBA Exec VP/Digital Media Melissa Brenner: "Over the course of an 8:30 game and a 10:30 game, we see an almost identical volume of tweets. There’s no material difference" (SI.com, 10/18).
KING ME: LeBron James' debut with the Lakers on Thursday night helped TNT to a ratings increase over its second night of games in '17. Lakers-Trail Blazers drew a 2.6 overnight from 10:45pm-1:15am ET, up 63% from the comparable Lakers-Clippers game last year. Lakers-Blazers peaked at a 2.9 rating from 11:00-11:15pm and generated the highest rating for an NBA game in the L.A. market since Christmas Day of '14. Combined with Bulls-76ers, TNT's Thursday doubleheader, which had competition from ALCS Game 5 on TBS and "TNF" on Fox/NFL Net, drew a 2.0 overnight, up 18% from last year's first Thursday night doubleheader (Josh Carpenter, THE DAILY).
HOOPS FEVER IN INDIANA: The Pacers' season-opening victory over the Grizzlies Wednesday night on FS Indiana drew a 5.4 local rating in Indianapolis, the best opener on the RSN since '05 and up 44% over last season (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 10/19).
