Audience Analysis: NBA Seeding Games Average 1.28 Million Viewers

NBA seeding games from the Orlando bubble averaged 1.28 million viewers across TNT, ESPN and ABC. That covers 38 games on the three networks, though not the Trail Blazers-Grizzlies play-in game -- that will not count toward any NBA viewership figures. The average for the three network partners also does not include any RSN figures, as most games were shown on respective RSNs in their local markets. NBA TV carried another 14 games in the seeding round, averaging 216,000 viewers. Clippers-Lakers, which was the late tilt when the NBA returned on July 30, led all games with 3.35 million viewers on TNT. That was followed by Bucks-Rockets on Aug. 2 (2.44 million on ABC) and Jazz-Pelicans on July 30 (2.11 million on TNT).

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS: Univision is seeing record UEFA Champions League figures, as English-language games are primarily behind the CBS All Access streaming paywall for the tournament’s summer return. Univision (with a simulcast on TUDN) averaged 1.36 million viewers for Bayern Munich-FC Barcelona on Friday, making it the largest UCL quarterfinal audience ever on U.S. TV, regardless of language. It also is the third-best soccer audience this year on any network, behind only two Liga MX matches on Univision. Lyon-Manchester City on Saturday averaged 1.18 million -- the second-best UCL quarterfinal on record. Meanwhile, UniMas averaged 594,000 viewers for Manchester United-Sevilla on Sunday, marking the best UEFA Europa League audience ever in the U.S., regardless of language.

NOTES: Stanley Cup Playoff viewership is up 3% for the NHL and NBC Sports after 23 games. Games across NBC, NBCSN, USA Network and CNBC are averaging 618,000 viewers in August, up from the first 23 games in mid-April last year….The MLS is Back Tournament finished with an average of 200,000 viewers for 47 games across Fox, ESPN, FS1 and ESPN2. The finale between Orlando City and the Timbers averaged 365,000 on ESPN….The U.S. Amateur championship match from Bandon Dunes in Oregon averaged 472,000 viewers on Sunday in primetime for Golf Channel, up big from 310,000 for the same telecast on Fox last year, which was an afternoon telecast with competition from the NFL preseason and a FedExCup Playoffs event….The NASCAR Cup Series race from the Daytona road course on Sunday led all sports telecasts last week with 3.24 million viewers on NBC.

The chart below lists viewership for select recent sports telecasts.

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