OAKLAND, CA – APRIL 13: A Golden State Warriors fan holds a sign in the second half during the game between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Golden State Warriors at ORACLE Arena on April 13, 2016 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

The Golden State Warriors remain white hot in the Bay Area. They have resonated with fans after winning last year’s NBA Championship and their quest to break the Chicago Bulls’ regular season win record this season have drawn even more fans to TV as well.

The main beneficiary has been Comcast SportsNet Bay Area which have seen ratings for the Warriors increase by an astonishing 159% from last season. For the record-breaking 73rd win on Wednesday, CSNBA saw a rating of 23.22, peaking at 28.57 in the final quarter-hour of the game. Not only was this a ratings record for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, but it’s higher than any regional sports network for an NBA game.

The 23.22 is higher than any of the Chicago Bulls ratings on SportsChannel Chicago during their record-setting year of 1995-96. And the rating now stands as the second highest-rated RSN regular season game for any sport, MLB, NHL or NBA. Only an Angels-Mariners game on FSN Northwest in 1997 (25.3) stands higher.

Viewership for the game in the Bay Area averaged 577,025 households in the San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose market and the peak was 709,983 households.

Some other highlights for the Warriors 73rd win on Wednesday:

  • Grizzlies-Warriors is the highest-rated cable network program in the Bay Area in 2016-to-date.
  • Grizzlies-Warrriors is the highest-rated program on cable in the Bay Area since 2010.

For the season:

  • 51 of the 60 highest-rated games on CSN Bay Area are from the Warriors this season.
  • CSN Bay Area has out-rated all 13 national telecasts from ESPN, ESPN2 and TNT which simulcast Warriors games head-to-head by an average of 200%.

CSN Bay Area will be able to carry 1st round playoff games not aired on ABC so it may see some higher ratings in the postseason.

[CSN Bay Area]

About Ken Fang

Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013.

He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television.

Fang celebrates the four Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.

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