Celtics-Bulls Game 6 packs them in

Comcast, TNT score big ratings Game 6 of the first-round playoff matchup between the Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls was one for the ages. The triple-overtime thriller – in which the Bulls beat the Celtics 129-127 – was the highest-rated first-round game ever, drawing a 3.5 household rating and 5.4 million viewers overall according to Nielsen. TNT also led […]

T Dog’s Groovy Grab Bag – The Cable Edition

An all-cable edition of the Grab Bag, with the NBA taking center stage: – The rematch of the last year’s NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics was a ratings blockbuster for TNT Thursday night, with the cable network drawing its highest ratings in 13 years (a Feb. 2 1996 between the Chicago Bulls and Lakers – […]

A bunch of stuff

News & Notes: – The Chicago Cubs may start its own television network if the team is sold, according to an article in today’s Chicago Tribune. The model would be the New York Yankees successful YES network, and the Cubs are looking to maximize revenues. Current owner Tribune has a 25 percent in Comcast SportsNet, and the Cubs are contracted […]

TCA Notes: Spending a day with Turner

Turner’s networks took center stage on Friday at the TCA Tour with a added bonus – a preview of Cartoon Network’s Clone Wars: –CNN: The all-news network unveiled its latest gizmo: A high tech touch screen used during this election system to break down election returns from counties. Yours truly saw this first-hand when it was used during the Indiana […]

The NBA scores on Sunday

In what is defiantly good news for the NBA, Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Cleveland Cavailers and the Boston Celtics averaged a 6.9 household Nielsen rating, up 70 percent from the game airing in the year-ago time period (San Antonio Spurs-Utah Jazz Western Conference Semifinal). The Celtics won, and they are facing the Detroit Pistons in […]

Sports ratings going up, up, and away

Maybe its the writers’ strike. Maybe its the Cubs’ post-season run. Maybe its the Blackhawks’ resurgence. Maybe its the Celtics and Lakers making noise in the NBA playoff race. Maybe its the hugely successful NFL post-season. Whatever it is, sports is gaining viewers from a year ago, and all sports are benefiting. Even a Cubs exibition game from nine days […]

TCA news: Cablepoolloza continues

More news from the Television Critics Association tour in L.A. : -Discovery is celebrating the 20th anniversary of Shark Week, from July 29 to August 4, with all sharks, all the time. The marathon will also feature footage of Amy Jacobson’s appearance at the Stebic House two weeks ago, in which her career – and local news – jumped the […]

NBA extends pacts with ESPN and TNT

Despite declining ratings for the NBA Finals, the NBA extended its television and digital platform rights until the 2015-16 season for ESPN, ABC, and TNT. The new deals gives ESPN and TNT the rights to stream NBA material onto its digital broadband platforms, including ESPN360 and TNT Overtime.

Basketball bouncing down

The Jazz-Spurs NBA Western Conference Final was a ratings flop, and the San Antonio Spurs advancing to the Finals won’t help the NBA or ESPN. But at least they won’t have the numbers the NHL and NBC will have for the Ducks-Senators Stanley Cup matchup. Sadly for the NBA, that’s the only positive thing out of all this. Meanwhile, the […]