Ratings Roundup: The Yankees Set Spring Training Records, ESPN Notches Highest-Rated NCAA Regular Season Game By Brian Harris
Friday, March 9, 2018 - 8:00 am
Print This Story
Story Highlights
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 edition, the New York Yankees continue to set spring-training ratings records, and not just on YES; ABC's Saturday night NBA game drew 5 million viewers at one point; ESPN broadcasted the highest-rated college basketball game of the season on any network and Fox Sports 1's SuperCross coverage is up compared to last year.
The addition of Giancarlo Stanton by the New York Yankees this offseason has turned out to be a ratings boom for so far as the Bronx Bombers have been setting ratings records for not only their home network, YES, but the MLB Network as well.
The March 2 game against the Atlanta Braves on YES on averaged a 1.38 household rating with 98,000 TV Households in the New York DMA watching, according to Nielsen, besting the viewership numbers set during YES' Yankees-Detroit Tigers broadcast on Feb. 23 along with two ESPN NBA telecasts, as well as MSG's New York Knicks, Rangers, Islanders and New Jersey Devils broadcasts.
Just two days later against the Tampa Bay Rays, YES scored its most-watched and most-viewed spring training telecast in five years, averaging a 1.61 TV Household rating, 114,000 Households and 145,000 viewers in the New York DMA, the highest-rated sports game telecast in the New York DMA on Sunday.
This game not only out-rated the Knicks and Devils on MSG, but also the New York Mets game on WPIX, ESPN's NBA broadcast, the final round of the WGC on NBC and the final of the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament, shown by CBS.
The YES network hasn't been the only benefactor of the Yankees so far this preseason, as the nationally-televised March 3 game between the Yankees and the rival Boston Red Sox was the network's most-watched spring training game ever, averaging 322,000 viewers, breaking the record that was set by them just six days prior against the Philadelphia Phillies.
ESPN Primetime Celtics-Rockets Broadcast Delivers Huge Increase
The March 3 ESPN on ABC broadcast of the the Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets 3,193,000 viewers, up 91 percent from last year's broadcast between the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Clippers, who drew 1,673,000 viewers, with a peak number of 4.99 million during the fourth quarter, according to Nielsen. Overall viewership for the Saturday night broadcast on ABC is up nine percent from last year, averaging 3,703,000 viewers.
Most-Watched College Basketball Game This Year Shown By ESPN
Thanks to the blood feud between the Duke Blue Devils and the UNC Tar Heels, the March 3 broadcast on ESPN was the highest-rated college basketball game on any network this season, with a Nielsen audience of 3,369,000 viewers. Because of that, ESPN has now aired the most-viewed regular season college basketball game for the past seven years.
Fox Sports 1's Supercross Viewership Up 16%; On Pace For Most-Watched Year
Just nine events deep into the 2018 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season, Fox Sports 1's coverage is averaging 354,000 viewers a race, which is up 16% over last season and the best season start since FS1's 2013 debut, according to Nielsen. Additionally, the average-minute audience for Supercross races streamed on FOX Sports GO is up 68% compared to last year's numbers.
Ratings Odds and Ends
Coverage of the NFL Combine averaged a 0.17 rating and 267,000 viewers on NFL Network, down 3% in viewership from last year (276K) but up 19% from 2016 (225K). (SMW)
Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series from Las Vegas earned a 2.9 rating and 4.7 million viewers on FOX, down 19% in ratings and 21% in viewership from last year. (SMW)
Saturday's Maple Leafs-Capitals NHL Stadium Series game had a 0.7 rating and 1.11 million viewers on NBC, down 36% in ratings and 42% in viewership from last year (Flyers-Penguins: 1.1, 1.9M). (SMW)
Celtics-Rockets scored a 1.9 rating and 3.2 million viewers on ABC's NBA Saturday Primetime over the weekend, up 73% in ratings and 91% in viewership from last year (Clippers-Bulls: 1.1, 1.7M). (SMW)
Sunday's Michigan-Purdue Big Ten Tournament final earned a 2.0 rating and 3.18 million viewers on CBS, down 13% in ratings and 11% in viewership from last year (Michigan-Wisconsin: 2.3, 3.6M). (SMW)
Saturday's North Carolina-Duke college basketball game scored a 2.0 rating and 3.4 million viewers on ESPN, down 17% in ratings and 19% in viewership from last year (2.4, 4.2M). (SMW)
CLICK HERE for more in-depth ratings info from SportsMediaWatch.
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
04/05/2024
NEW YORK As the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month kicks off in May, Nielsen has released an extensive new report diving into their media habits with data sh...
04/05/2024
PHILADELPHIA As National Military Appreciation Month gets underway, Comcast has announced several new initiatives to help veterans, service members, and their f...
04/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. Federal Communications Commission chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced a tentative agenda for the May Open Commission Meeting scheduled...
04/05/2024
The Broadband Forum has announced major enhancements to key 5G convergence standards that the group said will help advance next-generation applications, improve...
04/05/2024
Spotify Wrapped Campaign Spot Graded With DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Blackmagic Design today announced that Colorist M...
04/05/2024
Three Boston Conservatory at Berklee Alums Nominated for Tony Awards An additional eight alums and two current students performed in nominated productions.
...
03/05/2024
An innovative learning tool to help media and civil society better understand ho...
03/05/2024
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 21: (L-R) Actors K stutis Cic nas and Greta Grinevi i t , Director Marija Kavtaradze and Producer Marija Razgute attend the 2023 Sunda...
03/05/2024
If you aren't familiar with Danny Ocean's music, it's only a matter ...
03/05/2024
Spotify has an unwavering commitment to supporting emerging artists across all genres, to helping them launch and thrive in their careers, and to connecting the...
03/05/2024
Como uno de los sonidos de mayor expansi n en el mundo, la M sica Mexicana va m ...
03/05/2024
As one of the fastest-growing sounds worldwide, M sica Mexicana is more than jus...
03/05/2024
NEW YORK FuboTV reported that it lost 110,000 subs in Q1 2024 but it exceeded its guidance for the quarter with double digit year-over-year increases across key...
03/05/2024
Only 3 Weeks Left To Enter The Creative Industries Most Award
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Creativepool is giving a last call to the creative i...
03/05/2024
WePlay Studios Transforms the Future of Live Event Storytelling with AJA Gear
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
By 2032, the esports market is expec...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Shannon Bream, Fox News Sunday anchor and chief legal correspondent, sat for a keynote chat at The Business of TV News, with Tom Umstead, senior co...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Asked how important is local news, Martha Raddatz, who has covered foreign conflicts for decades and moderated presidential debates for ABC News, s...
03/05/2024
Sony Pictures and Apollo Global Management have made a $26 billion cash offer fo...
03/05/2024
CBS announced its 2024-2025 primetime schedule, which features the new dramas NCIS: Origins, Matlock and Watson, and new comedies Poppa's House and Georgie ...
03/05/2024
Sports-focused streaming service Fubo said it reduced its red ink in the first quarter, despite losing 110,000 subscribers since the end of the year....
03/05/2024
Walmart is reportedly about to release a new 4K streaming box/smart speaker hybrid device for Google TV that could retail for as low as $50, according to a repo...
03/05/2024
Enhancements to its Delivery Workspace solution provide increased content delivery robustness and security
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: May 3, 2024
Enha...
03/05/2024
According to reports, if the bid is successful, Sony would be the significant majority shareholder of the new private company
By Jenny Priestley
Published: M...
03/05/2024
Located in Manchesters Spinningfields district, the course aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge and industry insight for a career in the creative s...
03/05/2024
Lightbridge has created a new Cine Reflect Lighting System kit, dedicated to enabling artistic lighting with consideration of today's productivity practical...
03/05/2024
Broadcast media systems integrator BeckTV and Lawo worked together on a large-scale AES67 build of radio control rooms at KPBS, San Diego's NPR and PBS memb...
03/05/2024
Raleigh, NC, April 12, 2024 SmallHD announces PageOS 6, a powerful software update free for owners of SmallHD monitors, featuring increased functionality, exp...
03/05/2024
SmallHD announces the Quantum 32 a new 31.5 OLED monitor designed to provide reference HDR/SDR images for post-production final color grading, as well as cri...
03/05/2024
By 2032, the esports market is expected to grow to $9.29 billion, bolstered by a global player count and fan following that both continue to climb. The 2023 Lea...
03/05/2024
Amagi, the global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV (CTV), today announced that the 11th edition of the Amagi Global FAST Rep...
03/05/2024
Riedel Communications today announced that Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) is relying on a media and intercom network based on Riedel technology for the renewal of...
03/05/2024
Broadpeak , a leading provider of content delivery network (CDN) and video streaming solutions for content providers and pay-TV operators worldwide, announced t...
03/05/2024
Media technology innovator Limecraft will exhibit the latest updates to its online platform on stand G79 at the 15-16 May 2024 Media Production & Technology Sho...
03/05/2024
Audio interface specialist Prism Sound is partnering with console manufacturer Solid State Logic, professional monitor manufacturer PMC and acoustic panel and d...
03/05/2024
Intinor, Sweden's leading developer of products and solutions for high-quality video over the internet, is set to join forces with its UK partner Zest Techn...
03/05/2024
NAKIVO Inc., a fast-growing software company dedicated to protecting physical, virtual, cloud, and SaaS environments, announced its Q1 2024 financial results to...
03/05/2024
Hiltron Communications announces an addition to its range of satellite communication products and systems: a field-upgradable motorisation kit specifically desi...
03/05/2024
Visit LiveU at Stand D30
With this year an exceptional one for major sporting events alongside multiple, key elections, the power and flexibility of LiveU'...
03/05/2024
Agile Content, the leader in the development of technology and solutions for the provision of television services over the Internet, announces Koldo Unanue as i...
03/05/2024
Eight co-signers representing streaming services, pay TV operators and public interest groups have sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging their Committee...
03/05/2024
BOSTON Brightcove has announced that it has implemented Amazon Q Business, a new generative AI assistant on Amazon Web Services (AWS)....
03/05/2024
NEW YORK CBS has declared that it will finish the 2023-24 season as Americas Most-Watched Network in primetime for the 16th consecutive season....
03/05/2024
A new survey indicates that U.S. businesses and consumers had an overall positive attitude towards their technology spending plans in the first quarter of 2024,...
03/05/2024
Sony and Apollo Global Management have sent an offer letter to Paramount Global's board of directors making an $26 billion all cash offer for Paramount Glob...
03/05/2024
EMG / Gravity Media has appointed Charlie Cubbon chief operating officer (COO) and Jamie Hindhaugh regional CEO for the U.K., U.S., Australia and the Middle Eas...
03/05/2024
Final 2024 Season Games to Air Saturdays on WRAL at 10:30am in May, Championship on June 1
Taping for the final episodes of the 2024 season of WRAL-TV's Br...
03/05/2024
Estrella MediaCo said it is expanding its connected TV portfolio by launching three new channels with Curiosity that will first appear on Samsung TV Plus....
Ratings Roundup: The Yankees Set Spring Training Records, ESPN Notches Highest-Rated NCAA Regular Season Game By Brian Harris 
