Oklahoma City was buzzing this week as the Thunder faced off against the Cleveland Cavaliers for a highly anticipated NBA matchup. This rematch didn’t quite live up to the excitement of their previous clash, but it still managed to draw in viewers. The game, which aired on TNT and truTV, averaged a 0.7 rating and brought in 1.36 million viewers. This was a slight improvement in ratings and a substantial 34% increase in viewership compared to last year’s Bulls-Raptors game.
Despite the positive numbers, the Thunder dominated the Cavaliers in this game, leading by as much as 42 points at one point. In their earlier meeting just eight days prior, the teams had fought hard for the win, marking a stark contrast in performance. Another game featuring the Rockets and Kings that night drew 981,000 viewers, an increase of 12% from the previous year.
Wednesday was also busy on ESPN, where a matchup between the Knicks and Sixers averaged 1.22 million viewers, a significant 55% jump from last year’s Bucks-Cavaliers game. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves-Warriors nightcap saw 1.15 million viewers, although this was down from last year’s Mavericks-Lakers game.
Turning to hockey, the NHL saw its largest cable audience since Opening Night for the Red Wings vs. Panthers, averaging 507,000 viewers. The Oilers and Avalanche nightcap pulled in 389,000 viewers, marking it as the most-watched late game of the season.
In collegiate sports, last weekend’s gymnastics meet featuring top schools like LSU and Oklahoma averaged 618,000 viewers on ABC, while the high school football All-American Game brought in nearly 1.1 million viewers on NBC, up 6% from last year.
Overall, Oklahoma City’s sporting events captured the attention of many fans this week, demonstrating the continued popularity of basketball, hockey, and gymnastics across various platforms.
