The NBA All-Star Game on Sunday did very well for TNT. It finished with a 5.2 rating (up 37% from last year) and averaging just under 9.1 million viewers (up 33% from last year’s 6.8 million viewers). This is the best NBA All-Star Game viewership since 2003 which was Michael Jordan’s last All-Star appearance. And add this to the record numbers for NBA All-Star Saturday and TNT had a very good weekend. We provide the numbers to you.
The 2011 NBA All-Star Game on TNT Delivers Most Watched and Highest Rated All-Star Game Since 2003 and Earns Strong Growth Across All Demos
2011 NBA All-Star Game and All-Star Saturday Night Combine to Average
More Than 17 Million ViewersThe 2011 NBA All-Star Game on TNT delivered 9.1 million total viewers, 6 million households and a 5.2 U.S. HH rating, along with strong growth across all key demos, according to Nielsen Fast Nationals. This year’s star-studded contest in Los Angeles ranks as the most watched and highest rated game since 2003, which featured Michael Jordan’s final NBA All-Star appearance of his career. In addition, the 2011 NBA All-Star Game and All-Star Saturday Night, which was the most watched in the event’s 26-year history, combined to average more than 17 million total viewers.
The 2011 NBA All-Star Game also posted strong growth over last year, an increase of +33% in total viewers (9,093,000 vs. 6,846,000), +36% in households (5,975,000 vs. 4,399,000) and +37% in U.S. HH rating (5.2 vs. 3.8 U.S. HH rating).
The network has also had tremendous growth in key adult and male demos compared to last year, including:
- +41% A18-34 (3,175,000 vs. 2,258,000)
- +38% A18-49 (5,226,000 vs. 3,792,000)
- +29% A25-54 (4,314,000 vs. 3,394,000)
- +40% M18-34 (2,105,000 vs. 1,504,000)
- +47% M18-49 (3,577,000 vs. 2,437,000)
- +41% M25-54 (2,982,000 vs. 2,120,000)
Additional highlights during 2011 NBA All-Star Game included:
- The second most-watched NBA game on television during the 2010-11 season to date.
- The most-watched NBA telecast on cable during the 2010-11 season to date.
- The top five markets tuning into the game include San Antonio with a 13.5 rating (+48% over last year), host city Los Angeles earned a 11.6 rating (+123%), Memphis earned a 10.6 rating (+39%), Chicago earned a 9.9 rating (+48%) and Miami earned a 9.4 rating (+52%). In addition, Boston earned a 7.2 rating (+100%) and New York earned a 6.4 rating (+88%).
TNT’s exclusive coverage of the 2011 NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm was the most watched All-Star Saturday Night in the event’s 26 year history. The event delivered 8.1 million total viewers, 5.1 million households and a 4.4 U.S. HH rating, based on Nielsen Fast Nationals. The 2011 event saw increases of +23% in total viewers (6,554,000), +14% in households (4,466,000) and +13% in ratings (3.9 U.S. HH) over the previous record set in 2009. In addition, NBA All-Star Saturday Night out-delivered the 2010 telecast by +49% in total viewers (8,090,000 vs. 5,441,000), +43% in households (5,100,000 vs. 3,563,000) and +42% U.S. HH rating (4.4 vs. 3.9).
Heading into the 2011 NBA All-Star break, the 2010-11 NBA season on TNT is the most watched season in Turner’s 27 years of airing NBA coverage. Through 38 games, the NBA on TNT is averaging a 1.5 U.S. rating (+26%, 1.2 U.S. rating), 2,377,000 total viewers (+30%, 1,832,000 total viewers) and 1,770,000 households (+27%, 1,390,000 households) over last year’s corresponding coverage. In addition, this season is +26% on total viewers compared to Turner’s next best regular season audience from the 1995-96 season (total viewer average 2,377,000 vs. 1,885,000).
This cut into the network numbers as sports fans got their fix from the NBA All-Star Game.
