After seeing regular- and postseason declines last year, the National Basketball Association is experiencing a ratings revival, at least on TNT.
The network, one of the league’s three carriers along with ESPN and ABC, has seen solid gains compared with last year for regular-season games in the first half of the year. It followed that with very strong ratings for the NBA All-Star Game festivities last weekend, especially among the key men 18-34 and 18-49 demographic advertisers are desperate to connect with.
Sunday’s All-Star Game was up 5 percent in adults 18-49 compared with last year, to 3.79 million viewers, and 18 percent in 18-34s, to 2.28 million.
Among men 18-34, the game jumped 20 percent, to 1.48 million, its best numbers since the 2005 game. Nearly 2.5 million men 18-49 tuned in, up 5 percent from 2007.
The previous night, the 3-point shooting contest, slam dunk contest and other All-Star competitions on “NBA All-Star Saturday Night” drew 1.8 million 18-34s, up 13 percent over last year, and 3.17 million 18-49s, also up 13 percent. Men 18-34 were up 17 percent, to 1.31 million, and men 18-49 increased 15 percent, to 2.21 million.
Just before All-Star weekend tipped off, TNT released season-to-date figures showing that regular-season viewing is up across all demographics this season, especially for men 18-34, jumping 26 percent, and men 18-49, up 21 percent.
Eight months ago, that sort of growth seemed difficult to imagine.
The league was coming off yet another record-low finals, its second in five years, and slumping regular-season ratings, not to mention an embarrassing All-Star weekend in Las Vegas, where hundreds of attendees were arrested.
But this year, the NBA has strengthened. Like the NFL, the league is finding that parity draws in viewers, when every team has a chance to turn its season around with the right trades or draft picks.
This year’s revival of the storied Boston Celtics, so dreadful last season, is a great example.
Too, there’s been a lot of off-court intrigue to spark interest in the league this year, from trades involving superstars Jason Kidd and Shaquille O’Neal to the uncertain future of the Hornets in New Orleans.
But perhaps most important, the All-Star Game’s presence in New Orleans may have also kicked up viewership for the game and weekend festivities two and a half years after Hurricane Katrina. ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” saw a similar bump last season when the Saints hosted their first game in over a year.
And the NBA sent players out to help the devastated communities in a goodwill gesture after last year’s All-Star follies.
Another All-Star booster was the huge amount of online promotion for the game. Turner says 3.2 million people watched broadband All-Star content via TNT NBA Overtime over the weekend, and fans voted via text message for the All-Star Game MVP and slam dunk contest winner, a first.
Meanwhile, in other cable ratings for the week ended Feb. 17:
Top five networks in primetime (18-49s): TNT, USA, TBS, FX, Comedy Central
Top five networks in primetime (total viewers): USA, TNT, TBS, Fox News Channel, Nick at Nite
Top movie (18-49s): TNT’s “Four Brothers” (Sunday, 6 p.m.) 2.01 million
Top sporting event (total viewers): TNT’s “NBA All-Star Game” (Sunday, 8:43 p.m.) 6.33 million
Shows making the top 10 among 18-34s, 18-49s and 25-54s: USA’s “WWE Entertainment” (Monday, 10 p.m.); Bravo’s “Project Runway” (Wednesday, 10 p.m.); TNT’s “NBA All-Star Saturday Night” (Saturday, 8:30 p.m.); TNT’s “NBA Tip-Off All-Star” (Sunday, 8 p.m.); TNT’s “NBA All-Star Game” (Sunday, 8:43 p.m.).
Show on the rise: TNT’s “NBA All-Star Game,” Sunday 8:43 p.m. Not only was it the week’s most-watched program on cable, the game was up 31percent versus last year, from 4.85 million total viewers to 6.33 million (although it was still the second-least-watched NBA All-Star game since Nielsen began tracking it).
Show on the decline: VH1’s “Flavor of Love 3,” Monday 9 p.m. Moving from Sunday to Monday, the season premiere of “Love” averaged 2.8 million total viewers, off 15 percent from 3.3 million viewers for the season two premiere and down 63 percent from the 7.5 million who watched last season’s finale.
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TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Ranked on Household Rating
Week Ending February 17 |
|
Rank |
Primetime |
Total Day |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
USA
|
2323
|
NICK
|
1683
|
|
2
|
TNT
|
2102
|
TNT
|
1118
|
|
3
|
TBSC
|
1470
|
NAN
*
|
1087
|
|
4
|
FOXN
|
1377
|
USA
|
1024
|
|
5
|
NAN
|
1262
|
TBSC
|
843
|
|
6
|
AEN
|
1067
|
TOON
|
800
|
|
7
|
LIF
|
1065
|
FOXN
|
787
|
|
8
|
AMC
|
1024
|
ADSM*
|
780
|
|
9
|
TOON
|
1005
|
LIF
|
724
|
|
10
|
FX
|
977
|
AEN
|
693
|
|
11
|
DISC
|
969
|
FX
|
639
|
|
12
|
CMDY
|
951
|
TRU
|
628
|
|
13
|
HALL
|
939
|
HALL
|
607
|
|
14
|
HIST
|
936
|
HIST
|
602
|
|
15
|
TRU
|
921
|
ESPN
|
598
|
|
16
|
ESPN
|
914
|
DISC
|
570
|
|
17
|
SPK
|
904
|
CMDY
|
540
|
|
18
|
CNN
|
892
|
HGTV
|
540
|
|
19
|
SCIF
|
885
|
AMC
|
529
|
|
20
|
HGTV
|
857
|
SPK
|
528
|
|
21
|
FAM
|
856
|
CNN
|
525
|
|
22
|
MTV
|
772
|
FAM
|
525
|
|
23
|
VH1
|
759
|
MTV
|
504
|
|
24
|
TLC
|
667
|
TVLD
|
494
|
|
25
|
FOOD
|
655
|
FOOD
|
481
|
|
* 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 February 17 |
|
Rank
|
Program |
Net
|
(000) |
|
1
|
NBA All-Star Game
|
TNT
|
4333
|
|
2
|
Monk
|
USA
|
3876
|
|
3
|
NBA Tip-Off All-Star
|
TNT
|
3735
|
|
4
|
NBA All-Star Saturday Night
|
TNT
|
3513
|
|
5
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
3298
|
|
6
|
Psych
|
USA
|
3295
|
|
7
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
3240
|
|
8
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2830
|
|
9
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2801
|
|
10
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2787
|
|
11
|
Law & Order: SVU
|
USA
|
2770
|
|
12
|
Project Runway
|
BRAV
|
2760
|
|
13
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2745
|
|
14
|
House
|
USA
|
2711
|
|
15
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2708
|
|
16
|
Back At The Barnyard
|
NICK
|
2706
|
|
17
|
Law & Order
|
TNT
|
2656
|
|
18
|
Law & Order: SVU
|
USA
|
2618
|
|
19
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2596
|
|
20
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2589
|
|
21
|
Back At The Barnyard
|
NICK
|
2554
|
|
22
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2550
|
|
23
|
Four Brothers
|
TNT
|
2535
|
|
24
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2515
|
|
25
|
S Jimmy Timmy Powerhour2
|
NICK
|
2481
|
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending February 17 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
TNT
|
747
|
ADSM*
|
TNT
|
|
2
|
TBSC
|
715
|
TBSC
|
TBSC
|
|
3
|
USA
|
550
|
NICK
|
USA
|
|
4
|
MTV
|
491
|
TNT
|
MTV
|
|
5
|
CMDY
|
456
|
NAN
*
|
CMDY
|
|
6
|
VH1
|
446
|
FX
|
VH1
|
|
7
|
FX
|
439
|
MTV
|
FX
|
|
8
|
DISC
|
379
|
CMDY
|
DISC
|
|
9
|
FAM
|
313
|
ESPN
|
FAM
|
|
10
|
ESPN
|
312
|
USA
|
ESPN
|
|
* 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 February 17 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
NBA All-Star Game
|
TNT
|
2281
|
|
2
|
NBA All-Star Saturday Night
|
TNT
|
1803
|
|
3
|
RW/RR Gauntlet 3
|
MTV
|
1706
|
|
4
|
NBA Tip-Off All-Star
|
TNT
|
1677
|
|
5
|
Project Runway
|
BRAV
|
1471
|
|
6
|
Making The Band 4
|
MTV
|
1441
|
|
7
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
1421
|
|
8
|
Rock of Love 2
|
VH1
|
1347
|
|
9
|
Nip Tuck
|
FX
|
1317
|
|
10
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1308
|
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending February 17 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
TNT
|
1463
|
TNT
|
721
|
|
2
|
USA
|
1326
|
TBSC
|
620
|
|
3
|
TBSC
|
1183
|
USA
|
574
|
|
4
|
FX
|
786
|
NICK
|
568
|
|
5
|
CMDY
|
742
|
NAN
*
|
538
|
|
6
|
AEN
|
715
|
FX
|
506
|
|
7
|
DISC
|
687
|
ADSM*
|
490
|
|
8
|
VH1
|
662
|
ESPN
|
420
|
|
9
|
MTV
|
632
|
CMDY
|
419
|
|
10
|
AMC
|
605
|
AEN
|
414
|
|
* 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 February 17 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
NBA All-Star Game
|
TNT
|
3792
|
|
2
|
NBA All-Star Saturday Night
|
TNT
|
3173
|
|
3
|
NBA Tip-Off All-Star
|
TNT
|
3031
|
|
4
|
Project Runway
|
BRAV
|
2650
|
|
5
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2551
|
|
6
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2309
|
|
7
|
Monk
|
USA
|
2083
|
|
8
|
Nip Tuck
|
FX
|
2068
|
|
9
|
RW/RR Gauntlet 3
|
MTV
|
2054
|
|
10
|
Psych
|
USA
|
2030
|
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending February 17 |
|
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Rank
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
USA
|
1410
|
TNT
|
694
|
|
2
|
TNT
|
1368
|
USA
|
587
|
|
3
|
TBSC
|
1000
|
TBSC
|
535
|
|
4
|
AEN
|
740
|
NICK
|
475
|
|
5
|
FX
|
680
|
AEN
|
433
|
|
6
|
DISC
|
673
|
FX
|
415
|
|
7
|
AMC
|
670
|
NAN
*
|
413
|
|
8
|
SCIF
|
650
|
LIF
|
409
|
|
9
|
CMDY
|
609
|
TRU
|
361
|
|
10
|
LIF
|
561
|
DISC
|
360
|
|
* 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 February 17 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
NBA All-Star Game
|
TNT
|
3083
|
|
2
|
NBA All-Star Saturday Night
|
TNT
|
2784
|
|
3
|
NBA Tip-Off All-Star
|
TNT
|
2659
|
|
4
|
Monk
|
USA
|
2494
|
|
5
|
Psych
|
USA
|
2289
|
|
6
|
Project Runway
|
BRAV
|
2280
|
|
7
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2252
|
|
8
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2166
|
|
9
|
House
|
USA
|
1979
|
|
10
|
Four Brothers
|
TNT
|
1835
|
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
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