Before the current NBA season started, there was talk about how the referee betting scandal would hurt attendance and TV ratings. In addition, there was the Knicks sexual harassment trial which had coach Isiah Thomas and owner James Dolan on the front pages of the New York tabloids every day. And the NBA was coming off one of its lowest rated finals ever.
But one thing is happening this season. The ratings for the NBA on TNT are up. ESPN is recently seeing double digit increases for its coverage. And in Phoenix, the arrival of Shaquille O’Neal have helped to set records for viewing for the Suns.
Now the resurgence of the Boston Celtics is helping Comcast SportsNet New England settle in rather nicely in the hub. Wednesday’s night win over the Detroit Pistons gave CSN a viewing record and the average rating is up 107% over the year before.
A press release from Comcast SportsNet tells the story:
COMCAST SPORTSNET DELIVERS RECORD RATINGS
CELTICS-PISTONS ON MARCH 5 HIGHEST RATED CELTICS TELECAST
IN 10 YEARS
CELTICS RATINGS UP 107 PERCENT YEAR-OVER-YEAR
BURLINGTON, MA – Comcast SportsNet’s Boston Celtics vs. Detroit Pistons telecast delivered a 5.7 household rating, the highest rated Boston Celtics regular season telecast in 10 years.
The Celtics-Pistons game was billed as a playoff preview, and the Green’s win over Detroit was viewed in 131,000 households. The game rating peaked at a 8.2 (188,100 households) in the final quarter hour of the telecast (9:45 p.m. to 10 p.m.).
Comcast SportsNet’s previous high was a 5.4 household rating set early in the season with the November 14, 2007, Celtics vs. New Jersey Nets telecast.
Through 54 games, Comcast SportsNet’s 2007-08 household ratings are up 107 percent year-over-year from the 2006-07 season. Comcast SportsNet’s first 54 telecasts have averaged a 3.5 (80,500 households) vs. a 1.4 in 2006-07.
In addition, Comcast SportsNet’s Celtics Post Game Live earned a 3.4 rating (78,000 households), the highest post-game rating in 10 years.
And if the Lakers and Celtics go deep into the postseason, the NBA can expect higher interest and higher ratings for its network partners. That would certainly be good news for the NBA and make Commish David Stern forget about the tumultuous 2007 offseason.
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