Ratings Roundup: MLB LCS Most Watched Since 2010 Through Day 6; TNT's Celts-Cavs Opener Opener Draws Big Audience By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor
Friday, October 20, 2017 - 9:00 am
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Ratings roundup is a rundown of ratings news from the past week and is derived from press releases and reports around the industry. In this week's edition, the 2017 MLB LCS ranks as the most-watched since 2010 (not counting Game 5 of NLCS), TNT's Celts-Cavs matchup was the second-most watched NBA opening night telecast ever, we recap Week 6 of the NFL ratings season and Week 7 of college football, and boxing on both ESPN and FS1 draw increased viewership numbers.
2017 MLB LCS Ranks As Most-Watched Since 2010 Through Day 6
Through Day 6 of the MLB League Championship Series (not including Game 5 on Thursday), combined viewership of the ALCS and NLCS, on FOX/FS1 and TBS respectively, is up 25% (5.93 million) through Day 6 in 2016 (4.74 million). This year ranks as most-watched League Championship Series coverage through Day 6 since 2010 (7.68 million). Viewership for the 2017 Postseason (Wild Cards, Division Series, LCS through Day 6) is up 13% (4.47 million) vs. 2016 (3.94 million)
On the digital side, Through Day 6 of the LCS, fans have opened the MLB.com At Bat mobile app 41.1 million times, a 12% increase over last year. Fans in the U.S. have spent 221 million total minutes using the app to follow this year's LCS, 10% higher than 2016 (200 million). Overall, during this year's Postseason, At Bat has been accessed nearly 125 million times ( 16%) and accumulated nearly 850 million total minutes ( 6%) of digital consumption.
Game 4 of the NLCS on TBS averaged 6.8 million viewers, up 152% over last year's LCS game and up 17% over NLCS Game 4 between the same two teams last year. The game peaked with 7.9 million viewers from 11:30-11:45 pm. ET). Through four games, the NLCS on TBS was averaging 6.5 million viewers, an increase of 86% over last year's comparable LCS telecast. The NLCS is also up 2% in average viewership compared to the 2016 NLCS between the same two teams. Numbers for the Dodgers pennant-clinching Game 5 win over the Dodgers on Thursday are not yet announced. (Turner Sports PR/Twitter)
Game 5 of the ALCS on FS1 averaged 5.253 million viewers, making it the most watched afternoon LCS on cable since 2010. Game 5 delivered 5.588 million viewers across FS1 (5.253M), Fox Deportes (217K), and Fox Sports Go (118K). On FS1, the matchup was up 85% over Game 5 of the 2016 ALCS (2.847M) and up 104% over Game 5 of the 2015 ALCS (2.577M), which ared on Wednesday afternoons. Game 5 peaked from 8:15-8:30 ET with 6.35M viewers. (Fox Sports/Twitter)
TNT's Celts-Cavs Opener is Second-Most Watched Opening Night Telecast Ever
TNT's exclusive coverage of 2017 NBA Opening Night - the Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers and Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors - averaged 4.9 million viewers for an increase of 53% over the comparable games last year. The doubleheader netted the network's most-watched NBA Opening Night coverage since 2010.
The network's Celtics/Cavs telecast averaged 5.6 million total viewers - up 95% over last year - to rank as the network's second most-watched Opening Night telecast of all time. The Celtics/Cavs game is TNT's fifth most-viewed regular season NBA telecast ever. TNT's Celtics/Cavs telecast peaked with an average of 6.7 million viewers from 10:15-10:30 p.m. ET. Top local markets included Cleveland (20.1 HH rating), Columbus, Ohio (8.3 HH rating) and Boston (7.8 HH rating).
TNT's Rockets/Warriors telecast averaged 4.2 million viewers, up 22% over the network's comparable game last year. Locally, the game earned a 14.8 HH rating in San Francisco as the top-ranked metered market.
TNT's award-winning Inside the NBA studio show averaged a 1.2 HH rating from 1:30-2:30 a.m. ET, up 20% over the network's comparable telecast last year based on metered market ratings.
Live streaming coverage of NBA Opening Night averaged 8.9 million minutes of consumption, up 43% over last year. The Celtics/Cavs game registered the largest streaming average audience ever for an NBA regular season game on Turner. Opening night content across Turner's Facebook and Twitter accounts netted 53 million social impressions and six million video views including 250,000 views for live streaming coverage of the Warrior's ring ceremony on Facebook. (Turner Sports)
The following night, Timberwolves-Spurs had a 1.3 rating and 2.03 million viewers in the season debut of ESPN's NBA Wednesday, flat in ratings and up 1% in viewership from Rockets-Lakers last year (1.3, 2.00M) but down 19% and 14% respectively from Timberwolves-Lakers in 2015 (1.6, 2.4M). Earlier in the night, Sixers-Wizards had a 1.2 ( 20%) and 1.8 million ( 16%). (SportsMediaWatch)
Thursday Night Football Overnight Up 5%
THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL on CBS and NFL Network scored another ratings increase, up 5% for last night's game featuring Oakland's last-play win over Kansas City. The game earned an average overnight household rating/share of 9.9/17, up 5%from last year's comparable Week 7 TNF game on CBS and NFL Network (9.4/16; Chicago-Green Bay; 10/20/16), according to Nielsen metered market ratings. TNF on CBS and NFL Network dominated primetime ratings from 8:00-11:00 PM, ET, averaging a household rating/share of8.8/15, easily topping the other networks. The 8.8/15 rating was 389% better than FOX (1.8/3), 167% better than ABC (3.3/5) and 138% better than NBC (3.7/6). Last night's game HH rating/share peaked with an 11.3/23 from 11:30-12:00 midnight, ET. The game was viewed on CBS/NFL Network/Amazon Prime Video, and that digital viewing data will be available when the final numbers are reported.
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Ratings Roundup: MLB LCS Most Watched Since 2010 Through Day 6; TNT's Celts-Cavs Opener Opener Draws Big Audience By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor 
