NBA Playoffs a ratings hit

Here are the TNT numbers:

TNT’s First Round action of the NBA Playoffs featured plenty of drama in delivering its most-watched and highest-rated postseason to date in cable television history. TNT’s 23 First Round games delivered an average of 2.7 U.S. HH Rating, (+29%, 2.1 U.S. HH Rating last year), 4,179,000 Total Viewers (+32%, 3,174,000 last year) and 3,091,000 Households (+27%, 2,430,000 last year). Last season TNT aired 23 First Round match-ups.

The 2011 NBA Playoffs coverage on TNT is also delivering strong double-digit growth across all key demos, including:

• A18-34   +38%   (1,390,000 vs. 1,008,000)
• A18-49   +37%   (2,403,000 vs. 1,757,000)
• A25-54   +32%   (2,128,000 vs. 1,615,000)
• M18-34   +36%   (982,000 vs. 721,000)
• M18-49   +38%   (1,729,000 vs. 1,252,000)
• M25-54   +34%   (1,517,000 vs. 1,133,000)  

The NBA Playoffs on TNT to-date are also delivering significant double-digit growth with affluent viewers with a household income of $100,000+ or +$125,000 across P18-34, P18-49 and P25-54. The growth for both affluent categories is the most of any professional sports league, playoffs or regular season.

Affluent Household of $100,000+:

• P18-34           +64%    
• P18-49           +47%  
• P25-54           +39%

Affluent Household Income of $125,000+:

• P18-34           +76%
• P18-49           +55%
• P25-54           +45%

TNT’s postseason coverage follows its most-watched and highest-rated season in its 27 years of airing NBA basketball. During its 52-game regular season, the NBA on TNT averaged a 1.6 U.S. household rating (+45% vs. 1.1 for last year’s corresponding coverage);2,453,000 total viewers (+42% vs. 1,723,000); and 1,826,000 households (+39% vs. 1,315,000). In addition, this season’saudience is +30% larger than Turner’s second-best regular-season audience from 1995-96 (1,885,000).  Also, TNT airedthree of the top five all-time most-watched NBA regular season games in cable television history this season.

TNT’s coverage of the NBA Playoffs continues on Monday, May 2 with the Atlanta Hawks @ Chicago Bulls at 8 p.m.  followed by the Dallas Mavericks @ Los Angeles Lakers at 10:30 p.m. .  On Tues., May 3, TNT will feature the Boston Celtics @ Miami Heat at 7 p.m. and Memphis Grizzlies @ Oklahoma City Thunder at 9:30 p.m.  TNT will also air home-market exclusive Conference Semi-Finals coverage and the 2011 NBA Eastern Conference Finals exclusively.