Olympics nip
at NBA All-Star Game
Sunday's game is down 10 percent from last year
By Toni Fitzgerald
Feb 18, 2010
The NBA achieved its goal of setting a new single-game basketball attendance record for Sunday's NBA All-Star Game, but strong competition from the Olympics clearly ate into the game's television viewership.
The game, which aired at 8:42 p.m. on TNT, drew 6.8 million total viewers, down 10 percent from the 7.6 million who watched last year's game, according to Nielsen.
Airing in the same timeslot, Sunday's Winter Games coverage on NBC drew 26.4 million viewers, the third-most-watched program of the week on broadcast or cable.
It's pretty obvious that if the Olympics weren't airing at the same time, the All-Star Game would have done better. Interest in the league has been very high this season.
The NBA came into the weekend with viewership on TNT up nearly 10 percent over last season, and TNT's coverage of the Saturday night All-Star festivities, including the dunk and three-point shooting contests, was the second-most-watched in the event's 25-year history, averaging 5.5 million total viewers.
But on Sunday night, the Olympics proved the greater draw due mostly to the kickoff of the figure skating competition, perpetually the top-rated winter event.
The NBA, meanwhile, did manage to set two records over the weekend, the first the aforementioned single-game attendance mark. Just over 108,000 people attended the game at the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium, obliterating the old record of 78,129 for a college game set in Detroit seven years ago.
NBA Digital also set a record with more than 17 million streams downloaded for the three-day event, up 20 percent over last year. That included a single-day record of 4.95 million streams on Sunday.
***
In cable ratings for the week ended Feb. 14:
Top five networks in primetime (18-49s): TNT, USA, TBS, A&E, History Channel.
Top five networks in primetime (total viewers): TNT, USA, Fox News Channel, Nick at Nite, A&E.
Top movie (18-49s): TNT’s “Four Brothers” (Sunday, 3 p.m.) 1.34 million.
Top sporting event (total viewers): TNT’s “NBA All-Star Game” (Sunday, 8:42 p.m.) 6.85 million.
Shows making the top 10 among 18-34s, 18-49s and 25-54s: USA’s “WWE Entertainment” (Monday, 10 p.m.); TNT’s “NBA All-Star Game” (Sunday, 8:42 p.m.); TNT’s “NBA All-Star Saturday Night” (Saturday, 8:30 p.m.).
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Ranked on Household Rating
Week Ending February 14 |
|
Rank |
Primetime |
Total Day |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
USA
|
2039
|
NICK
|
1733
|
|
2
|
TNT
|
2012
|
NAN
*
|
1442
|
|
3
|
FOXN
|
1743
|
TNT
|
1186
|
|
4
|
NAN
|
1430
|
USA
|
1101
|
|
5
|
AEN
|
1291
|
FOXN
|
1062
|
|
6
|
TBSC
|
1193
|
ADSM*
|
986
|
|
7
|
HIST
|
1160
|
TOON
|
906
|
|
8
|
ESPN
|
1089
|
AEN
|
784
|
|
9
|
TOON
|
1004
|
TBSC
|
744
|
|
10
|
HGTV
|
958
|
HIST
|
663
|
|
11
|
FX
|
928
|
ESPN
|
628
|
|
12
|
FAM
|
884
|
HGTV
|
607
|
|
13
|
TRU
|
820
|
LIF
|
591
|
|
14
|
LIF
|
811
|
TRU
|
571
|
|
15
|
DISC
|
788
|
FX
|
559
|
|
16
|
TLC
|
745
|
FOOD
|
540
|
|
17
|
SYFY
|
744
|
SPK
|
539
|
|
18
|
AMC
|
736
|
DISC
|
525
|
|
19
|
HALL
|
729
|
AMC
|
495
|
|
20
|
FOOD
|
698
|
FAM
|
477
|
|
21
|
CMDY
|
665
|
TVLD
|
466
|
|
22
|
SPK
|
659
|
CMDY
|
453
|
|
23
|
VH1
|
639
|
MTV
|
445
|
|
24
|
MTV
|
622
|
HALL
|
441
|
|
25
|
BRAV
|
605
|
TLC
|
406
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE PROGRAMS
Ranked on Households
Week Ending February 14 |
|
Rank
|
Program |
Net
|
(000) |
|
1
|
East vs. West
|
TNT
|
4399
|
|
2
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
3601
|
|
3
|
NBA All-Star Sat Night
|
TNT
|
3563
|
|
4
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
3392
|
|
5
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3374
|
|
6
|
Pawn Stars
|
HIST
|
3371
|
|
7
|
Burn Notice
|
USA
|
3272
|
|
8
|
The O'Reilly Factor
|
FOXN
|
3234
|
|
9
|
Pawn Stars
|
HIST
|
3179
|
|
10
|
NASCAR Nationwide Series
|
ESP2
|
3170
|
|
11
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
3099
|
|
12
|
The Penguins Of
Madagascar
|
NICK
|
3080
|
|
13
|
The O'Reilly Factor
|
FOXN
|
3074
|
|
14
|
iCarly
|
NICK
|
3070
|
|
15
|
The O'Reilly Factor
|
FOXN
|
3047
|
|
16
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3022
|
|
17
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
2992
|
|
18
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
2987
|
|
19
|
The O'Reilly Factor
|
FOXN
|
2837
|
|
20
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2828
|
|
21
|
iCarly
|
NICK
|
2808
|
|
22
|
White Collar
|
USA
|
2800
|
|
23
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
2794
|
|
24
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
2781
|
|
25
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2748
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending February 14 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
TNT
|
837
|
ADSM*
|
481
|
|
2
|
USA
|
580
|
TNT
|
377
|
|
3
|
TBSC
|
537
|
NICK
|
368
|
|
4
|
ESPN
|
364
|
NAN
*
|
337
|
|
5
|
CMDY
|
359
|
TBSC
|
310
|
|
6
|
MTV
|
355
|
USA
|
282
|
|
7
|
FX
|
343
|
ESPN
|
248
|
|
8
|
AEN
|
335
|
CMDY
|
233
|
|
9
|
VH1
|
332
|
MTV
|
224
|
|
10
|
FAM
|
319
|
TOON
|
220
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending February 14 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
East vs. West
|
TNT
|
2258
|
|
2
|
NBA All-Star Sat Night
|
TNT
|
2032
|
|
3
|
Keeping Up With the Kardashians
|
EN
|
1339
|
|
4
|
NBA Tip-Off All-Star
|
TNT
|
1331
|
|
5
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
1281
|
|
6
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1243
|
|
7
|
NBA H.O.R.S.E All-Star
|
TNT
|
1238
|
|
8
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1225
|
|
9
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1220
|
|
10
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1210
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending February 14 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
TNT
|
1465
|
TNT
|
740
|
|
2
|
USA
|
1218
|
ADSM*
|
666
|
|
3
|
TBSC
|
943
|
USA
|
619
|
|
4
|
AEN
|
787
|
NICK
|
615
|
|
5
|
HIST
|
686
|
NAN
*
|
614
|
|
6
|
FX
|
656
|
TBSC
|
569
|
|
7
|
ESPN
|
648
|
AEN
|
464
|
|
8
|
DISC
|
573
|
ESPN
|
415
|
|
9
|
FAM
|
560
|
HIST
|
399
|
|
10
|
CMDY
|
559
|
FX
|
389
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending February 14 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
East vs. West
|
TNT
|
3792
|
|
2
|
NBA All-Star Sat Night
|
TNT
|
3202
|
|
3
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
2765
|
|
4
|
Pawn Stars
|
HIST
|
2476
|
|
5
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
2441
|
|
6
|
Pawn Stars
|
HIST
|
2292
|
|
7
|
Burn Notice
|
USA
|
2267
|
|
8
|
NBA Tip-Off All-Star
|
TNT
|
2014
|
|
9
|
Keeping Up With the Kardashians
|
EN
|
1919
|
|
10
|
NBA H.O.R.S.E All-Star
|
TNT
|
1895
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending February 14 |
|
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Rank
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
TNT
|
1328
|
TNT
|
731
|
|
2
|
USA
|
1261
|
USA
|
643
|
|
3
|
AEN
|
842
|
NAN
*
|
536
|
|
4
|
TBSC
|
819
|
TBSC
|
498
|
|
5
|
HIST
|
789
|
NICK
|
494
|
|
6
|
ESPN
|
605
|
AEN
|
490
|
|
7
|
FX
|
598
|
HIST
|
434
|
|
8
|
FOXN
|
583
|
ADSM*
|
431
|
|
9
|
DISC
|
553
|
TRU
|
370
|
|
10
|
TRU
|
544
|
ESPN
|
364
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending February 14 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
East vs. West
|
TNT
|
3334
|
|
2
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
2638
|
|
3
|
Pawn Stars
|
HIST
|
2619
|
|
4
|
NBA All-Star Sat Night
|
TNT
|
2588
|
|
5
|
Pawn Stars
|
HIST
|
2532
|
|
6
|
Burn Notice
|
USA
|
2390
|
|
7
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
2328
|
|
8
|
NASCAR Nationwide Series
|
ESP2
|
2088
|
|
9
|
American Pickers
|
HIST
|
1724
|
|
10
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
1724
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
|
|
