Lakers-Warriors series sets multiple TV ratings records

By Steven Herbert

ABC’s coverage of Game 3 of the Los Angeles Lakers-Golden State Warriors Western Conference semifinal series drew the largest audience for an NBA conference semifinal game since 2011, while the first two games were second and third in the latest prime-time ratings, according to live-plus-same-day figures released Tuesday by Nielsen.

The Lakers’ 127-97 victory Saturday over the Warriors averaged 8.373 million viewers, the most for a Game 3 of a conference semifinal series since 1999.

TNT’s coverage of the Lakers‘ 117-112 victory in Game 1 on May 2 averaged 7.365 million viewers, the most for a Game 1 of a conference semifinal series in the history of cable television, second among prime-time programs airing between May 1 and Sunday and first among cable programs, despite starting at 10:13 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

ESPN’s Lakers-Warriors series coverage included Golden State’s 127-100 victory in Game 2 Thursday that averaged 7.352 million viewers, the most for a Game 2 of a conference semifinal series on a Disney platform, third for the week and second among cable programs.

NBA playoff coverage made TNT the most-watched cable network for the third consecutive week, averaging 3.166 million viewers. ESPN was second for the second consecutive week, averaging 2.462 million.

Fox News Channel’s average viewership increased 1.3% to 1.468 million viewers from 1.449 million the previous week, its first without Tucker Carlson and had to face two nights of NFL draft coverage. Its viewership was down 28.7% from its 2.058 million average in Carlson’s final week.

Fox News Channel was third among cable networks for the second consecutive week. It was first in prime time among cable news networks for the 116th consecutive week. MSNBC was fourth among cable networks, averaging 1.155 million viewers. CNN was 13th, averaging 494,000 viewers.

The cable prime-time top 20 consisted of nine NBA playoff games — six on TNT and three on ESPN; three NBA studio shows — two on TNT and one on ESPN; History’s long-running chronicle of a search for treasure on a Canadian island, “The Curse of Oak Island”; the MSNBC news and opinion program, “The Rachel Maddow Show”; ESPN’s coverage of Game 7 of the New Jersey Devils-New York Rangers NHL first-round playoff series; three editions of the Fox News Channel political talk show “Hannity”; and the first two hourlong segments of the USA Network professional wrestling show, “WWE Raw.”

CBS had each of the week’s five most-watched nonsports programs to be the most-watched network for the eighth consecutive week, the 11th time in 12 weeks and 13th time in the last 15, averaging 4.39 million viewers.

“60 Minutes” was CBS’ most-watched program, averaging 7.234 million viewers, fourth for the week and first among nonsports programs. “Young Sheldon” was the most-watched entertainment program, averaging 7.137 million viewers, fifth for the week and second among nonsports programs.

The only times CBS has not finished first in the past 15 weeks were the weeks of Feb. 6-13, when Fox aired Super Bowl LVII, and March 6-12, when ABC aired the Oscars.

ABC was second for the fourth consecutive week following four consecutive third-place finishes, averaging 4.12 million viewers. Its most-watched nonsports program was “American Idol,” ninth for the week and sixth among nonsports programs, averaging 6.115 million viewers.

NBC was third among the broadcast networks for the fourth consecutive week after four consecutive second-place finishes, averaging 2.94 million viewers. “Chicago Fire” was its most-watched program, averaging 6.093 million viewers, 10th for the week and seventh among nonsports programs.

CBS, ABC and NBC all aired 22 hours of prime-time programming.

Fox averaged 1.99 million viewers for its 15 hours, 16 minutes of prime-time programming. The procedural drama “9-1-1” was its most-watched program, averaging 4.174 million viewers, 36th for the week and 25th among nonsports programming.

Each of the seven original episodes of “9-1-1” to air in 2023 have been Fox’s most-watched prime-time program of the week.

The CW averaged 330,000 viewers for its 14 hours of programming. The superhero drama “Superman & Lois” was its most-watched program for the sixth time in the seven weeks it has aired this season, averaging 655,000 viewers, 145th among broadcast programs, one spot behind the episode of the 1960-68 CBS comedy, “The Andy Griffith Show” that aired at 8:30 p.m. May 1 on MeTV.

Its overall ranking was not available.

The 20 most-watched prime-time programs consisted of four NBA playoff games — two on ESPN and one each on ABC and TNT; eight CBS scripted programs, its news magazine “60 Minutes” and alternative series “Survivor”; the two editions of “American Idol”; NBC’s three “Chicago” series and its singing competition “The Voice.”

The “Bridgerton” prequel, “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story,” was Netflix’s most-watched title with 148.28 million hours watched of its six episodes in their first four days of release.

The French action thriller “AKA” was Netflix’s most-watched movie for the second consecutive week, with 49.32 million viewing hours, 51.6% more than the 32.53 million viewing hours the previous week when it was available for three days.

The most-watched Spanish-language program was the Thursday episode of the Univision telenovela “Perdona Nuestros Pecados,” which averaged 1.557 million viewers, 70th among broadcast programs. Its overall ranking was not available.

Univision was the most-watched Spanish-language network for the 39th consecutive week and 177th time in 179 weeks, averaging 1.26 million viewers. Telemundo was second, averaging 790,000 viewers, followed by UniMas with 410,000 and Estrella TV with 90,000.

ABC’s “World News Tonight with David Muir” was the most-watched nightly newscast for the 178th time in 179 weeks and 230th time in 232 weeks, recording its biggest margin over “NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt” since the week of Jan. 9, averaging 7.617 million viewers.

“NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt” was second, averaging 6.079 million viewers. The “CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell” was third, averaging 4.641 million viewers.

The week’s 10 most-watched prime-time programs were ABC’s coverage of Game 3 of the Lakers-Warriors series, TNT’s coverage of Game 1 of the series and ESPN’s coverage of Game 3; CBS’ “60 Minutes,” “Young Sheldon,” “NCIS,” “The Equalizer” and “Ghosts”; the Sunday broadcast of ABC’s “American Idol”; and NBC’s “Chicago Fire.”

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