Game 2 of the NBA Finals dominated Sunday night, as the Miss USA pageant flopped in its first year on Fox.
The special, which had been broadcast on NBC until two years ago, actually aired on the low-rated cable channel Reelz last year, amid a cloud of controversy surrounding former owner Donald Trump.
While Fox finished second in the key 18-49 demographic last night, “Miss USA” fell 21 percent from 2014 to 2016. It was even worse among total viewers, down 27 percent.
Fox’s pageant was still way up versus the 2015 version on Reelz.
ABC was first in ratings with a 4.5 rating/15 share in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic and in total viewers with an average of 11.9 million, according to preliminary numbers. A special “Jimmy Kimmel Live” at 7 p.m. ET posted a 2.4/10 and 7.7 million viewers. “NBA Countdown” at 7:30 put up a 2.5/9 and 6.9 million viewers. Across the next three hours of primetime, Game 2 of the NBA Finals averaged a 5.1/16 share and 13.4 million viewers.
Fox was second in ratings with a 1.1/4 and third in viewers with 4 million. “Miss USA” was all it aired in primetime.
Univision was third in ratings with a 1.0/3, but fifth in viewers with 2.4 million.
NBC was fourth in ratings with a 0.6/2 and in viewers with 3 million. “Dateline: On Assignment” at 7 p.m ET had a 0.5/2 and 4 million viewers. Following reruns, “Game of Silence” at 10 got a 0.6/2 and 2.5 million viewers.
CBS was fifth in ratings with a 0.5/2, but second in viewers with 4.7 million. At 7 p.m. ET, “60 Minutes” received a 0.8/3 and 8 million viewers. Repeats followed.
Telemundo was sixth in ratings with a 0.4/1 and in viewers with 1.3 million.