NBA and NHL in late-summer makes comparisons complicated
During the first few months of the coronavirus pandemic, when sports had been relegated to the sidelines, it was common belief that whenever the games returned, fans would rush back to their TV sets.
The virtual NFL draft in April and five weeks of reliving ’90s NBA nostalgia led to record ratings — and that was before most major professional sports in the U.S. returned to the field.
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Turns out, fans — shut out of arenas and ballparks in an attempt to keep COVID-19 at bay — really missed their favorite games at first. Many sports experienced hefty audience bumps compared to their pre-pandemic viewing levels — though comparisons are hardly apples-to-apples. But that has since cooled off some.
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Major League Baseball was the first big-ticket pro league to return to play, and it did so in record-breaking fashion. The New York Yankees’ rain-shortened win over the Washington Nationals on July 23 drew more than 4 million viewers, the most-watched regular season game on any network in nine years. That strong start propped up ESPN’s overall average through the first few weeks of the season (Aug. 9) — games were pacing 29% above last year’s season average with 1.2 million viewers (across ESPN and ESPN2) and rising double-digits among virtually every demographic, including the all-important adults 18-49 group, where it was up by 57%.
But that has since leveled off, with ESPN specifically dipping below 1 million viewers through 25 games, which is pacing 12% down. Over on Fox, it’s a similar story. Despite starting out of the gate strong on July 25 — its three games that Saturday were all above its 2019 averages by double-digits — the numbers have trended downward compared to last season in the weeks since, averaging 1.9 million viewers according to Nielsen, down 19% from last year’s average.
NBC Sports saw major increases for the NHL’s return at the beginning of August for its first-ever Qualifying Round (essentially an extra playoff round). Played in dual bubble environments in Canada, the NHL staged a massive play-in competition to figure out the bottom half of its playoff field, rather than finish out its regular season. The multiple, best-of-five series drew an overall 553,000 viewers on TV and digital platforms across NBC, CNBC, USA and NBCSN. (NBC rolls up those numbers together in what it calls “Total Audience Delivery.”) That was up 39% over the pre-shutdown season average. On the NBC broadcast network, qualifying round games were up 11% (excluding the Winter Classic) from the pre-shutdown averages.
In fact, outside of the Winter Classic, the Aug. 1 Montreal Canadiens-Pittsburgh Penguins game — NBC’s first primetime matchup since restarting — was the network’s most-watched game of the season with 1.53 million viewers. The first few days of the actual Stanley Cup Playoffs were also up 11% over last year, but have since fallen back a bit to a 3% increase through the first 23 games.
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NBC also saw strong numbers for its coverage of sports across the pond, posting its best Premier League season in four years (462,000 viewers on TV and digital), which returned to action back in June. A look deeper into the numbers paints a bit muddier picture: Prior to the shutdown, NBC Sports Group’s coverage was pacing ahead by 4% over last year, but it finished with a 1% gain. However, NBCSN’s weekday matches were up by 32% from pre-shutdown averages with 315,000 viewers.
As with the NHL, the NBA is airing the remainder of its season outside of its normal schedule and during a time when viewing levels are typically lower. Primetime viewership in August, among the slowest months in TV, is 19% lower than it is in April, when the league typically begins its postseason.
During the “Seeding Games” between July 30-Aug. 16, an average of 1.3 million viewers watched across TNT, ABC and ESPN. While TNT was largely even with its pre-pandemic numbers, ESPN said it was down 7% — the league was already in the middle of a tough ratings season. However, it should be noted that the NBA’s restart featured games that often aired outside of primetime and were also carried by the local market’s regional sports network, sometimes even blacked out in those markets. The majority of NBA games tip off anywhere between 7-8 p.m. local time.
TNT’s national games during the restart, which tipped off at 9 p.m. ET, drew 1.7 million, which was 30% higher than its pre-shutdown numbers.
The first day of the NBA playoffs on Aug. 17, which featured four games, got off to a sluggish start with 1.7 million viewers on ESPN, down from the 2.8 million that viewed the opening day of the 2019 NBA playoffs. Again, it should be noted that last year’s opening round played on a Saturday and featured games on ABC, whereas Monday’s games were all on ESPN.
ABC will still gladly accept the chance at airing NBA Finals games in early October while it waits for its primetime scripted series to get back behind the camera. Over the first two days of the playoffs, both primetime windows on TNT and ESPN (9 p.m. ET) were up vs last season’s comparable window.
Also Read: ESPN Scores Most-Watched Regular Season MLB Game Since 2011 With Rain-Shortened Opening Night
The only other major professional sport to return was golf with the PGA Championship, which got a bump due to the fact that it, and not The Masters, was the sport’s first major in 2020. The Masters was pushed to November and the U.S. Open is set to tee off next month; the British Open was canceled outright.
ESPN, in its first year airing the tournament, drew 1.66 million viewers for its four days of coverage, which was up 35% over last year, airing on TNT. CBS’s primetime final round coverage on Aug. 9 notched 5.15 million, the most-watched golf telecast anywhere since July 2019.
Notable Athletes Who Have Opted Out of 2020 Seasons Over COVID-19 Concerns (Photos)
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Major U.S. professional sports like the NBA and MLB have returned (the NFL is getting started on it 2020 season), but not everyone will play over concerns of the coronavirus pandemic.
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Getty ImagesBuster Posey
The six-time All Star catcher with the San Francisco Giants opted out of the 2020 season after he and his wife planned to adopt two identical twin girls who were, a journalist for The Athletic reported.
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David Price
David Price, a pitcher formerly for the Boston Red Sox who this season was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, opted out of the season on July 4 out of the interest of the his health and his family's.
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Ian Desmond
Ian Desmond, an outfielder for the Colorado Rockies, opted out in part because of his pregnant wife and four young children. It was reported that he'd be sacrificing $5.55 million in pro-rated salary for 2020.
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Ryan Zimmerman
Ryan Zimmerman, the 35-year-old first baseman for the World Series champs Washington Nationals, clarified that he would not be retiring by opting out this season. He forfeited $740,000 of pro-rated salary.
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Nick Markakis
Atlanta Braves outfielder Nick Markakis opted out of the 2020 season after seeing his teammate Freddie Freeman contract the coronavirus and be sidelined with symptoms of COVID-19. "Just hearing him, the way he sounded on the phone, it was tough," Markakis said in a press conference. "It was kind of eye-opening. With everything that's going on, not just with baseball but all over the world, it makes you open your eyes."
(Update: Markakis pulled a surprise move on July 29 and decided to rejoin the team for the remainder of the season). -
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Mike Leake
Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Mike Leake, 32, became the first known MLB player to opt out of the 2020 season on June 29. He was scheduled to make $16 million in a full season and is a free agent in 2021.
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Felix Hernandez
Felix Hernandez, a longtime pitcher and All Star for the Seattle Mariners, opted out of the 2020 season on July 4. He signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves this season and was competing for a rotation spot.
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Joe Ross and Tyson Ross
Joe Ross, 27, and Tyson Ross, 33, two brothers and MLB pitchers for the Washington Nationals and a free agent respectively, both signed out of the 2020 season.
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Jordan Hicks
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jordan Hicks, 23, opted out of the season after being identified as a high-risk player due to his Type 1 diabetes. He's also recovering from Tommy John surgery.
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Michael Kopech
Michael Kopech, 24, a pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, announced on July 10 through the team's general manager that he would be sitting out the 2020 season. Kopech was recovering from Tommy John surgery that kept him sidelined in 2019.
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Yoenis Cespedes
Before New York Mets slugger Yoenis Cespedes opted out of the season, the team was alarmed to find that Cespedes did not report to the ballpark and that he and his belongings were missing from his hotel room. The team was not made aware of his decision to opt out prior to his absence.
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Marcus Stroman
Stroman became the second Met to opt out in the middle of the season. Stroman never threw a pitch this season, beginning the year on the Injured List. He cited concerns over the outbreaks on the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins as his reason for sitting out.
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Lorenzo Cain
A week into the season, Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Lorenzo Cain opted out of the season after the team's home opener against the St. Louis Cardinals was postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak among Cardinals players.
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Willie Cauley-Stein
Cauley-Stein opted out on June 25 because he and his partner are expecting a baby in July.
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Spencer Dinwiddie
Dinwiddie is one of the few players that won't be playing due to a positive COVID-19 test. On July 7 the Nets' doctors advised Dinwiddie he should not play out of an abundance of caution.
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Avery Bradley
Bradley, a vocal critic of the NBA's restart taking attention away from the nationwide social justice movement, opted out on June 23 in order to remain with his wife and three children.
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Wilson Chandler
Chandler opted out on June 28 so he could remain with his family and grandmother.
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Thabo Sefalosha
Sefalosha opted out on July 1, though a specific reason was not given. He had previously expressed concerns over playing in the bubble amid the pandemic.
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DeAndre Jordan
Like his teammate Dinwiddie, Jordan also will sit out the rest of the 2020 campaign after revealing he tested positive for the disease.
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Victor Oladipo
The Indiana Pacers star had just come back from a ruptured quad tendon before the shutdown. He cited the uncertainty of the Orlando bubble as part of his reason for opting out, but he reversed course and ultimately played in the first game for the Indiana Pacers' restart.
(Update: Oladipo joined the Pacers in Orlando and played in scrimmages, but it is still unclear if he'll be part of the season restart). -
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Trevor Ariza
Ariza opted out June 22 in order to commit to a one-month visitation window with his young son. Families are not allowed inside the NBA bubble until the end of August.
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Andre Smith
Smith was set to play for the Baltimore Ravens this season.
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De'Anthony Thomas
Baltimore Ravens
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Star Lotulelei
Buffalo Bills
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Jordan Mack
Mack, an undrafted rookie with the Carolina Panthers, decided on July 28 to forgo his rookie season out of uncertainty from the virus.
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Eddie Goldman
The Chicago Bears defensive tackle opted out on July 28 citing health concerns.
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Stephen Guidry
Another undrafted rookie, this one with the Dallas Cowboys. Guirdry is one of two Cowboys to opt out, joining Maurice Canady.
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Devin Funchess
Funchess is skipping his first season with the Green Bay Packers over COVID-19 concerns. He had family members that contracted the virus.
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Laurent Duvernay-Tardif
The Kansas City Chiefs' starting lineman was the first NFL player to opt out of the season. Duvernay-Tardif spent the offseason as medical volunteer at a long-term care facility in Montreal that was treating coronavirus patients.
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Michael Pierce
Pierce, one of the Minnesota Vikings' big offseason signings, has respiratory concerns and is considered high-risk.
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Multiple New England Patriots
Led by Dont'a Hightower, six Patriots have already decided to opt out of the season, with more expected.
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Nate Solder
The New York Giants' star lineman has a son who is currently battling cancer. Solder is also a cancer survivor himself.
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Marquise Goodwin
The new Philadelphia Eagles receiver has a 5-month daughter after his wife previously had three miscarriages.
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Chance Warmack
Warmack missed of all 2019 and was set to compete for a roster spot on the Seattle Seahawks. He is a former top-10 draft pick.
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Ja'Wuan James
Denver Broncos
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Ash Barty
The top-ranked female tennis player in the world is skipping the U.S. Open in New York next month. The Australian cited concerns of traveling to a COVID-19 hotspot.
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Rafael Nadal
Nadal will also skip the U.S. Open over COVID-19 concerns. Nadal won the tournament last year and is seeking to tie Roger Federer's record for Grand Slam wins.
U.S. pro sports are back in action, but many are deciding to sit out
Major U.S. professional sports like the NBA and MLB have returned (the NFL is getting started on it 2020 season), but not everyone will play over concerns of the coronavirus pandemic.
Tim Baysinger
TV Reporter • tim.baysinger@thewrap.com • Twitter: @tim_bays