eBron James’ return to Cleveland this season fueled a huge jump in the local TV ratings for the Cavaliers, but it doesn’t appear that it will be enough to keep the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs from taking this year’s local ratings crown.
The Spurs as of last week were averaging an 8.09 rating on Fox Sports Southwest, the highest average rating leaguewide. The Cavs ranked second, with a 7.98 average on Fox Sports Ohio — a mark that’s up nearly threefold from the team’s 2.93 average last season.
NBA teams' RSN ratings
This year’s regular season ends Wednesday.
The Spurs are traditionally among the league leaders for local ratings, but San Antonio hasn’t finished No. 1 since 2012. Oklahoma City has ranked first each of the past two seasons.
The only team to see a greater year-over-year increase in local ratings than the Cavs is Milwaukee. The Bucks were averaging a 2.12 rating as of last week on Fox Sports Milwaukee, up 324 percent from last season.
An improvement on the court from last season’s league-worst 15-67 record to a playoff drive this year fueled viewership. The Bucks also last week unveiled a $1 billion arena and entertainment project spearheaded by new owners Marc Lasry and Wes Edens.
The Eastern Conference-best Atlanta Hawks have seen a 129 percent increase in their average rating on SportSouth. Other major gains have come in Chicago and Houston.
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* Compared to 2013-14 season
Notes: Ratings are as of last week, heading toward the end of the regular season on Wednesday. Information for Memphis, Utah and Toronto was not available.
Source: SportsBusiness Journal analysis of Nielsen data
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Overall, 11 teams have seen gains in their local ratings this season, with six of those clubs playing in top-10 media markets nationally. On the flip side, 16 clubs are looking at numbers that are down from last season, including both teams in Los Angeles as well as Brooklyn and New York.
Information for Memphis, Utah and Toronto was not available.
In Los Angeles, the Lakers have seen their average rating tumble 23 percent to a historic low of 1.66 on Time Warner Cable SportsNet, with the team missing the playoffs again this season. This will be the third consecutive season of a record low for the Lakers, all coming on TWC SportsNet.
In New York, Knicks ratings have dropped 37 percent, to a 1.36 average on MSG, as the team has stumbled through its own historically bad season.
Other ratings declines include a 45 percent drop in Minnesota for the Timberwolves on Fox Sports North; in Miami, where the departure of James to Cleveland has been followed by a 27 percent dip in ratings on Sun Sports to a 5.02 average; and in Indiana, where the Pacers have seen their ratings on Fox Sports Midwest drop 33 percent.
