Ratings Roundup: NBC Scores with Preakness, Players Championship; Bruins, Islanders Hit Record Highs on RSNs

NBC Sports’ coverage of Saturday’s Preakness Stakes drew 9.7 million viewers, making it the most-watched Preakness since 2009, and the fourth most-watched dating back to 1990. The viewership for the race is up 20% from last year’s Preakness (8.1 million). The household rating of 5.9/14 is up 13% from last year’s race (5.2/13), the highest since 2009 (6.8/16), and the second best since 2006 (6.6/16). In addition, NBC Sports Network’s two-hour pre-race show (2:30-4:40 p.m. ET) drew 466,000 viewers, a gain of 99 percent from last year (234,000)…

…Tiger Woods’ victory at TPC Sawgrass drove big audiences for NBC and Golf Channel’s Players Championship coverage, May 9-12. NBC’s final round coverage of The Players Championship on Sunday garnering 7.6 million viewers (up 59% YOY), 5.0 rating, making it the most-watched final round at The Players in more than 20 years. NBC’s third round coverage on Saturday pulling in 3.7 million viewers (up 12%), 2.6 rating, which was the best since 2009.

Golf Channel’s first round coverage on Thursday posted the most-watched first round in the history of THE PLAYERS with 1.7 million viewers (+54% YOY). In addition, Golf Channel posted its most-viewed week ever for THE PLAYERS on record as more than 11.5 million unique viewers (up 23% YOY) tuned in to Golf Channel during the week…

…NESN earned a series-best 16.8 average household rating in the Boston DMA (26 Share) for the Bruins dramatic game 7 victory over the Maple Leafs on May 13. NESN’s game coverage during the Bruins Eastern Conference Semifinals series against the Maple Leafs averaged a 11.7 HH rating, which included two of the top five highest-rated Bruins games in NESN history. NESN’s highest-rated Bruins game ever was game 7 of last year’s Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Washington Capitals (4/25/12), which received a 19.6 HH rating (31 Share) in the Boston DMA…

…Meanwhile, Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals between the Islanders and Penguins handed MSG+ with a 2.21 average household rating, making it the highest-rated Islanders game ever on the network. Through five games on MSG+, the series averaged a 1.51 household rating, which was the highest rating for an Islanders playoff series since 2001-02 vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs (1.78 HH). (Cynopsis Media)…

…The first NHL Conference Semifinal game between the Rangers and Bruins generated a new record for NBC Sports Network, with an average of 1.6 million viewers watching Thursday night’s game, making it the most-watched Conference Semifinal Game 1 in network history. Meanwhile, Game 2 between the Sharks and Kings averaged 805,000 viewers. The two-game series average is 704,000 viewers, up 2% over last year’s Conference Semifinal series through two games. (Cynopsis Media)…

…Game 1 of the Grizzlies/Spurs NBA Western Conference Finals drew a 3.9 overnight rating on ABC Sunday afternoon, down 41% from Celtics/Heat Game 1 on ESPN last year (6.6), and down 26% from Thunder/Mavericks Game 1 on ESPN in 2011 (5.3). Compared to Game 1 of last year’s Thunder/Spurs WCF on TNT, the 3.9 is also down 32% from a 5.7 overnight. Grizzlies/Spurs Game 1 ranks as the lowest rated conference final opener in the metered markets since 2007, when Cavaliers/Pistons drew a 3.5 on TNT and Jazz/Spurs drew a 3.8 on ABC. (SportsMediaWatch)…