Local viewership for the 2023-24 NBA season is up, heading out of the All-Star Break, with 18 of the 27 measured franchises showing year-over-year increases.
Past experience dictates that local ratings for the Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, and Memphis Grizzlies are not included, though that was not confirmed in the Sports Business Journal article.
SBJ reports that the five highest increases in local ratings are for the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets (up 127% on Altitude), the Western Conference-leading Minnesota Timberwolves (up 115% on Bally Sports North), the Phoenix Suns (up 95% after moving from Bally Sports Arizona to the Gray-owned Arizona’s Family broadcast network), the Orlando Magic (up 80% on Bally Sports Sun), and the San Antonio Spurs (up 54% during Victor Wembanyama’s rookie season on Bally Sports Southwest).
The Portland Trail Blazers, the second-worst team in the Western Conference, have the league’s most significant decline. The team is down 60% on Root Sports Northwest. They’re followed by the Brooklyn Nets (down 38% on YES after last spring’s super team breakup), Washingon Wizards (down 34% on the rebranded Monumental Sports Network with the second-worst record in the league), Cleveland Cavaliers (down 19% on Bally Sports Ohio despite having the second-best record in the Eastern Conference), and New Orleans Pelicans (down 14% on Bally Sports New Orleans).
The positive vibes for the NBA locally are similar to those for the NHL, whose midseason ratings were up 3% going into its All-Star Break earlier this month.
About Joe Lucia
I hate your favorite team. I also sort of hate most of my favorite teams.