Ratings Roundup: NBA Finals Game 7 Draws Second-Biggest Overnight Ever for NBA Game on ABC; NBC’s Stanley Cup Final Most Viewed Ever Through Four Games

The Heat’s Championship-clinching victory over the Spurts in the Game 7 of the NBA Finals on ABC delivered a 17.7 overnight rating, making it the second highest-rated NBA game in ABC history. The telecast peaked at a 22.6 from 11:30 p.m. – 11:45 p.m. ET. The game generated a 44.2 metered market rating in Miami, making it the highest-rated NBA game ever in the market. Additionally, Game 7 scored big in San Antonio with a 46.4. The 2013 NBA Finals averaged a 12.4 metered market rating, up five percent from an 11.8 for the 2012 NBA Finals…

…With three of the first four games needing overtime, the 2013 Stanley Cup Final is averaging 5.356 million viewers per game, making it the most-watched Final through four games on record (data available since 1994). Wednesday night’s 11-goal overtime thriller in Game 4 averaged 6.459 million viewers, making it the most-watched Stanley Cup Final Game 4 ever (since the introduction of People Meters in 1987). Through the series’ first four games, the Stanley Cup Final is averaging a 3.1 household rating and 5.356 million viewers across NBC (Games 1 & 4) and NBC Sports Network (Games 2-3), the best on record (since 1994) and up 107% (1.5) and 118% (2.460 million), respectively, vs. last year. Game 4 drew a 3.8 household rating and 6.459 million viewers on NBC, up 124% and 120%, respectively, vs. last year (LA-NJ, 1.7 rating, 2.935 million). Viewership peaked in overtime (11:15-11:30 p.m. ET) with 8.192 million viewers…

…If the numbers for Game 6 of the NBA Finals are any indicator, ratings for the Heat’s dramatic Game 7 victory over the Spurs should be through the roof. The Heat’s thrilling Game 6 overtime win on ABC Tuesday night delivered 20.636 million viewers, which was the network’s second biggest audience ever for a Game 6. The viewership figure also marks the fourth largest audience for any NBA game in ABC’s history and it’s the network’s most-watched non-clinching game telecast ever. The audience peaked from midnight to 12:15 a.m. ET with an average of 28.7 million viewers. The corresponding final national household rating was a 12.3…

…NBC’s weekend U.S. Open coverage was the most-watched East Coast U.S. Open in six years (since 2007 at Oakmont Country Club), while Golf Channel posted the network’s most-watched U.S. Open Week ever for an East Coast event (second most-watched U.S. Open Week of all-time behind last year’s event at The Olympic Club in San Francisco).

NBC’s Weekend Coverage delivered 6.8 million average viewers, making it the most-watched East Coast U.S. Open since 2007 at Oakmont Country Club. NBC’s final round coverage on Sunday delivered 8.4 million average viewers (5.4 rating) and third round coverage earned 5.4 million average viewers (3.7 rating), both marking the best showing since 2007 and up 14% and 17%, respectively, over the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club (4.5 and 3.1). Early round coverage on Thursday delivered 2.45 million average viewers (1.8 rating) and Friday delivered ET delivered 2.79 million average viewers (2.0 rating), up 34% and 52% from 2011, respectively.

Live From the U.S. Open drove Golf Channel to its second most-watched U.S. Open Week of all time, behind last year’s event at The Olympic Club. This also represents the most-watched U.S. Open Week for Golf Channel from any East Coast venue…

…ESPN also saw big numbers for its early-round U.S. Open coverage, as its Thursday evening telecast registered a 1.9 household coverage rating and averaged 2,209,725 viewers, making it the second most-viewed Thursday telecast of the event ever on the network (exceeded only by the 2,499,860 that watched in 2002) and the highest-rated since 2002 (2.3 rating). Additionally, ESPN’s live telecast of Friday evening’s play earned a 2.0 househod coverage rating and averaged 2,458,378 viewers, making it the highest-rated east coast venue Friday prime telecast since 2002 (2.1 rating).

ESPN’s live telecast of the rain-delayed afternoon round on Thursday, which aired from noon – 3 p.m., earned a 1.2 household coverage rating, averaging 1,340,169 viewers, while the morning-afternoon session on Friday, which aired from 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., earned a 1.5 household coverage rating with an average of 1,672,526 viewers…

…Last Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race from Michigan drew a 2.8 U.S. rating and 4.5 million viewers on TNT, down 13% in ratings and 14% in viewership from last year (3.2, 5.3M), and down 3% and 7%, respectively, from 2011 (2.9, 4.9M). The 2.8 rating is the lowest for the season’s first Michigan race since at least 1996, falling below the previous mark of 2.9 in 2011 and 2010. So far this season, both NASCAR Sprint Cup races on TNT have earned a 2.8 rating — tied as the lowest of the season for a regular points race. (SportMediaWatch)…

…Univision Deportes saw coverage of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup matches featuring Brazil/Mexico and Italy/Japan on Wednesday deliver triple digit growth on Univision and UniMas compared to the matches of the 2009 tournament. To date, the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup on Univision Networks is averaging 1.8 million viewers, 1 million Adults 18-49 and 548,000 Adults 18-34, for spikes of 496%, 500% and 495% respectively through six matches (Cynopsis Sports)…