NBA’s Return from Hiatus Doubles TV Ratings

The NBA’s return to competitive action garnered a larger-than-usual television audience. According to Sports Illustrated’s Melissa Rohlin, the league’s opening night that featured both LeBron James and Zion Williamson doubled TNT’s average pre-hiatus viewership.

The NBA restart double-header on Thursday averaged 3.4 million total viewers, more than doubling TNT’s average viewership for a regular season telecast, according to the network.

The marquee game of the double-header between the Lakers and Clippers peaked with an average of 4.1 million viewers between 6:45 and 7 p.m. PT.

The Trail Blazers, who feature NBA super star Damian Lillard, will get in on the ratings increase when they face the Celtics in a Sunday matchup on ABC.

Regardless of the increased television audience, the NBA is tasked with bridging a massive gap in lost revenue triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.