NHL regular season viewership increased, but still neared a multi-year low. Also: the NBA hit season-lows on ABC and TNT, and Sunday Night Baseball slipped in week two of the season.

NHL regular season up, but still close to low

The NHL regular season averaged 424,000 viewers across NBC Sports’ TV and digital platforms, up 2% from last year (417K), but down 11% from two years ago (474K). This season tops only last year as the least-watched since 2010-11. The NBC broadcast network averaged 1.32 million for its 12 games (including streaming), up 2% from last year (1.29M), up 6% from two years ago (1.24M), and the network’s highest average in three years (2015-16: 1.55M). NBCSN, meanwhile, averaged 313,000 — up 4% from last year (302K), but the network’s second-lowest average since the 2009-10 season. The season’s final game on NBCSN, Canadiens-Capitals last Thursday night, had 161,000 (+11%).

Season-lows for NBA on ABC, TNT

Last Sunday’s Thunder-Timberwolves NBA regular season game drew a 1.2 rating and 1.66 million viewers on ABC, marking the network’s lowest rated and least-watched game this season. Compared to ABC’s final game of last season, Thunder-Rockets on a Saturday night, ratings fell 29% (from 1.7) and viewership 38% (from 2.67M). The 1.2 rating is tied as the ninth-lowest ever for an NBA game on broadcast television. In other action, Celtics-Wizards had just 647,000 viewers on TNT Tuesday night — down 46% from the same matchup last year (1.20M) and down 25% from 2017 (Wizards-Pistons: 862K). It was the least-watched game on ESPN/ABC or TNT this season. The Rockets-Thunder nightcap had 1.33 million (+19%). ESPN on Friday night drew a 0.6 and 979,000 for Celtics-Pacers and a 0.6 and 952,000 for Blazers-Nuggets.

Sunday Night Baseball slips in week two

Dodgers-Rockies scored a 0.9 rating and 1.50 million viewers on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball last weekend, down a tick in ratings and 5% in viewership from last year (Mets-Nationals: 1.0, 1.58M) and down 15% and 14% respectively from 2017 (Marlins-Mets: 1.1, 1.74M). The game lost more-than-half of its lead-in from the NCAA women’s basketball championship (2.1, 3.69M). The following night, ESPN drew 823,000 for Yankees-Astros — up 29% from last year (Brewers-Cardinals: 636K) but down 55% from Dodgers-Cubs in 2017, which featured the Cubs’ ring ceremony (1.82M). The same Yankees-Astros matchup had 688,000 on Wednesday, down 25% from Yankees-Red Sox last year (922K) but up 20% from 2017 (Cardinals-Nationals: 572K). ESPN also drew 425,000 for Blue Jays-Red Sox on Tuesday afternoon. Over on FS1, Cubs-Brewers drew a 0.2 and 385,000 on Saturday night, with Rangers-Angels chipping in 294,000 viewers earlier in the day (-37%).

[Numbers from Nielsen via ShowBuzz Daily a, b, 4.10]