Tipping off one of the most anticipated seasons in the league’s history, TNT’s exclusive doubleheader coverage of opening night of the 2010-11 NBA season delivered record-setting ratings and audience for the network, averaging a 3.5 US rating, 5,493,000 total viewers and 4,025,000 households. The opening game, featuring the Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics, earned a 4.6 US rating and delivered 7,433,000 total viewers and 5,339,000 households, making it the most watched regular season NBA game on cable of all-time (topping the Chicago Bulls vs. LA Lakers on Feb. 2, 1996). Game two of the doubleheader, featuring the Houston Rockets @ Los Angeles Lakers at 10:30 p.m. (ET) delivered a 2.4 US rating, 3,719,000 total viewers and 2,823,000 households, making the doubleheader the most watched NBA Opening Night doubleheader in Turner’s 27 years of tipping off the season.
Other highlights from TNT’s exclusive doubleheader include:
- TNT’s opening night doubleheader saw double digit growth in ratings, total viewers, households and all key demos over last year’s record setting exclusive openers (Celtics/Cavaliers, followed by LA Clippers/LA Lakers).
- Locally the games delivered huge audiences in their home markets of Miami (15.5 HH rating), Boston (17.1 HH rating), LeBron James’ former home market of Cleveland (10.6 HH rating), Houston (7.4 HH rating) and Los Angeles (9.7 HH rating).
TNT’s exclusive coverage of the NBA continues on Thursday, Oct. 28, with a doubleheader featuring the debut of the league’s 2010 overall #1 draft pick John Wall and the Washington Wizards visiting four-time All-Star Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic (8 p.m. ET), followed by a showcase of two of the league’s best point guards as Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns take on Deron Williams and the Utah Jazz (10:30 p.m. ET).
