NBA fans had hoped for a rematch of last year’s thrilling Western Conference finals between the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks this year.
Instead, the top-seeded Mavs got bounced in the first round, and the San Antonio Spurs socked the Suns in round two, leaving the Spurs and the Utah Jazz the surprising finalists. And apparently that’s a matchup that very few wanted to see.
NBA playoff ratings have fallen for all three rounds thus far, and the just-ended Jazz-Spurs series may suffer worst of all. Game 1 on ESPN last Tuesday, May 23, averaged 3.4 million total viewers, down 36 percent from the 5.3 million who watched the Western Conference finals opener last year on TNT.
Saturday’s Game 2 at 8:30 p.m. on ABC didn’t fare much better.
It averaged 4.7 million total viewers, 200,000 fewer than tuned in for a Spurs-Suns conference semifinals game in the same timeslot two weeks earlier. There was no equivalent game on ABC last year, but generally the conference finals rise over semifinal play.
Postseason to date, NBA games have declined on ABC, ESPN and TNT by double-digit percentages. Certainly some of that is due to the surprisingly early exit of the Mavericks, the NBA’s top regular-season team and last year’s NBA Finals runner-up.
Fans always prefer to watch the top teams play each other, and Dallas was clearly the NBA’s best team until its April playoff slump. The second-round exit of the Suns, arguably the most fun team to watch with their high-scoring offense, also likely led some to flip away from the playoffs.
Another problem has been the lack of success for major-market teams like the New York Knicks, who didn’t make the playoffs, and the Los Angeles Lakers, who were booted in the first round. Markets for remaining conference finals teams like the Salt Lake City-based Jazz and Eastern Conference’s Cleveland Cavaliers don’t rank in the Nielsen top 15.
That’s the reason some network executives have cited for the ratings decline.
But the biggest problem may simply be the Spurs themselves. They have a dynasty in the making, but fans just don’t find their plodding, workmanlike team very interesting. And that’s problematic for finals carrier ABC, as the squad last night advanced to its fourth NBA Finals in the last eight years.
The Spurs played in the two lowest-rated NBA Finals ever, in 2005 and 2003. And in each of their three previous title years, finals ratings declined at least 29 percent versus the previous year.
Meanwhile, in other cable ratings for the week ended May 27:
Top five networks in primetime (18-49s): TNT, USA, TBS, ESPN, Discovery
Top five networks in primetime (total viewers): USA, TNT, TBS, Lifetime, ESPN
Top movie (18-49s): TBS’s “Cast Away” (Sunday, 8 p.m.) 1.41 million
Top sporting event (total viewers): TNT’s “NBA Playoffs: Pistons-Cavaliers” (Sunday, 8:30 p.m.) 4.38 million
Shows making the top 10 among 18-34s, 18-49s and 25-54s: USA’s “WWE Entertainment” (Monday, 9 p.m. and 10 p.m.); TNT’s “NBA Playoffs: Pistons-Cavaliers” (Sunday, 8:30 p.m.); TNT’s “NBA Playoffs: Cavaliers-Pistons” (Monday, 8:18 p.m.); TNT’s “NBA Playoffs: Cavaliers-Pistons” (Thursday, 8:19 p.m.); ESPN’s “NBA Playoffs: Jazz-Spurs” (Tuesday, 9 p.m.)
Show on the rise: Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report,” Thursday 11:30 p.m. The spoof news show managed to grow from its “Daily Show with Jon Stewart” lead-in by 18,000 viewers 18-34, no small feat when you’re on at 11:30 p.m.
Show on the decline: Nickelodeon’s “Drake & Josh,” Wednesday 5:30 p.m. The tween favorite declined by nearly 400,000 households week to week, pulling a still-solid 2.37 million for its top episode of the week.
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TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Ranked on Household Rating
Week Ending May 27 |
|
Rank |
Primetime |
Total Day |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
TNT
|
1795
|
NICK
|
1525
|
|
2
|
USA
|
1788
|
NAN *
|
1123
|
|
3
|
TBSC
|
1141
|
TNT
|
1001
|
|
4
|
LIF
|
1114
|
USA
|
966
|
|
5
|
ESPN
|
1051
|
ADSM*
|
950
|
|
6
|
NAN
|
1031
|
TOON
|
806
|
|
7
|
TOON
|
992
|
LIF
|
737
|
|
8
|
FOXN
|
922
|
TBSC
|
677
|
|
9
|
AEN
|
857
|
AEN
|
599
|
|
10
|
SPK
|
852
|
FOXN
|
590
|
|
11
|
HGTV
|
851
|
ESPN
|
527
|
|
12
|
DISC
|
826
|
DISC
|
507
|
|
13
|
CORT
|
824
|
SPK
|
487
|
|
14
|
FX
|
784
|
FAM
|
481
|
|
15
|
FAM
|
774
|
AMC
|
479
|
|
16
|
SCIF
|
769
|
HGTV
|
479
|
|
17
|
HIST
|
742
|
HIST
|
475
|
|
18
|
HALL
|
708
|
CORT
|
468
|
|
19
|
MTV
|
695
|
CMDY
|
464
|
|
20
|
AMC
|
691
|
FX
|
461
|
|
21
|
TLC
|
678
|
MTV
|
457
|
|
22
|
CMDY
|
672
|
HALL
|
449
|
|
23
|
TVLD
|
615
|
TVLD
|
442
|
|
24
|
FOOD
|
559
|
FOOD
|
410
|
|
25
|
VH1
|
513
|
SCIF
|
401
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE PROGRAMS
Ranked on Households
Week Ending May 27 |
|
Rank
|
Program |
Net
|
(000) |
|
1
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
3710
|
|
2
|
Pistons/Cavaliers
|
TNT
|
3274
|
|
3
|
Cavaliers/Pistons
|
TNT
|
3272
|
|
4
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
3176
|
|
5
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3130
|
|
6
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3107
|
|
7
|
Cavaliers/Pistons
|
TNT
|
3058
|
|
8
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3018
|
|
9
|
Jazz/Spurs
|
ESPN
|
2660
|
|
10
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2634
|
|
11
|
House
|
USA
|
2422
|
|
12
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2412
|
|
13
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2391
|
|
14
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2386
|
|
15
|
El Tigre
|
NICK
|
2385
|
|
16
|
Drake & Josh
|
NICK
|
2371
|
|
17
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2344
|
|
18
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2341
|
|
19
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2298
|
|
20
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
2284
|
|
21
|
Deadliest Catch
|
DISC
|
2271
|
|
22
|
Drake & Josh
|
NICK
|
2257
|
|
23
|
Ned Declassified
|
NICK
|
2247
|
|
24
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
2241
|
|
24
|
Fairly Odd Parents
|
NICK
|
2241
|
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
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TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending May 27 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
TNT
|
551
|
ADSM*
|
401
|
|
2
|
USA
|
454
|
NAN *
|
320
|
|
3
|
TBSC
|
401
|
NICK
|
305
|
|
4
|
MTV
|
398
|
TNT
|
302
|
|
5
|
CMDY
|
343
|
MTV
|
253
|
|
6
|
ESPN
|
339
|
CMDY
|
248
|
|
7
|
FX
|
311
|
USA
|
245
|
|
8
|
DISC
|
287
|
TBSC
|
240
|
|
9
|
SPK
|
278
|
ESPN
|
220
|
|
10
|
VH1
|
264
|
DISC
|
186
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending May 27 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
1438
|
|
2
|
Pistons/Cavaliers
|
TNT
|
1256
|
|
3
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1183
|
|
4
|
Real World XVIII Reunion
|
MTV
|
1155
|
|
5
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
1122
|
|
6
|
Cavaliers/Pistons
|
TNT
|
1104
|
|
7
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1077
|
|
8
|
Jazz/Spurs
|
ESPN
|
1052
|
|
9
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1050
|
|
10
|
Cavaliers/Pistons
|
TNT
|
1013
|
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending May 27 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
TNT
|
1183
|
TNT
|
628
|
|
2
|
USA
|
994
|
USA
|
558
|
|
3
|
TBSC
|
809
|
ADSM*
|
532
|
|
4
|
ESPN
|
643
|
NAN *
|
503
|
|
5
|
DISC
|
622
|
NICK
|
469
|
|
6
|
FX
|
587
|
TBSC
|
460
|
|
7
|
SPK
|
569
|
ESPN
|
366
|
|
8
|
CMDY
|
511
|
LIF
|
366
|
|
9
|
AEN
|
496
|
CMDY
|
365
|
|
10
|
MTV
|
496
|
DISC
|
358
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending May 27 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2715
|
|
2
|
Pistons/Cavaliers
|
TNT
|
2419
|
|
3
|
Cavaliers/Pistons
|
TNT
|
2190
|
|
4
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2170
|
|
5
|
Deadliest Catch
|
DISC
|
2159
|
|
6
|
Cavaliers/Pistons
|
TNT
|
2149
|
|
7
|
Jazz/Spurs
|
ESPN
|
1950
|
|
8
|
House
|
USA
|
1627
|
|
9
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1600
|
|
10
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1568
|
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending May 27 |
|
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Rank
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
TNT
|
1165
|
TNT
|
627
|
|
2
|
USA
|
1003
|
USA
|
574
|
|
3
|
TBSC
|
753
|
TBSC
|
411
|
|
4
|
DISC
|
617
|
NAN *
|
408
|
|
5
|
ESPN
|
584
|
LIF
|
395
|
|
6
|
SPK
|
574
|
NICK
|
386
|
|
7
|
LIF
|
566
|
AEN
|
359
|
|
8
|
SCIF
|
548
|
DISC
|
337
|
|
9
|
AEN
|
537
|
SPK
|
320
|
|
10
|
FX
|
533
|
ESPN
|
308
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending May 27 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2387
|
|
2
|
Deadliest Catch
|
DISC
|
2279
|
|
3
|
Pistons/Cavaliers
|
TNT
|
2273
|
|
4
|
Cavaliers/Pistons
|
TNT
|
2058
|
|
5
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
1918
|
|
6
|
Cavaliers/Pistons
|
TNT
|
1878
|
|
7
|
House
|
USA
|
1668
|
|
8
|
Jazz/Spurs
|
ESPN
|
1609
|
|
9
|
Law & Order: SVU
|
USA
|
1372
|
|
10
|
Cast Away
|
TBSC
|
1346
|
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
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