Ratings down in Seattle and Oklahoma City

[The Walker Wiggle]

A little late on this, but as a critic of Clay Bennett and David Stern's handling of the franchise, I found it an interesting read.

So far this season, ratings for nationally televised NBA games are down in both Seattle and Oklahoma City.

In Seattle, which is undergoing its first season without an NBA team in 42 years, nationally televised NBA games are averaging a 0.8 rating on ESPN and a 0.9 on TNT, down 20% and 10% respectively from a 1.0 on each network last year.

In Oklahoma City, which is in its first year as a full-time NBA city, games on ESPN are averaging a 0.9 rating, down 18% from a 1.1 in '07, while games on TNT are averaging a surprisingly low 0.6 - down 33% from a 0.9 last year.

According to Nielsen, Oklahoma City Thunder telecasts are averaging a 1.2/2 rating and approximately 9,000 homes on KSBI (6 games), and a 1.1/2 and approximately 7,000 homes on FS Oklahoma. Sonics games averaged a 1.27 rating on FSN Northwest for the full 2007-08 season, equaling approximately 22,600 homes.

So NBA ratings are down in Oklahoma City and the Thunders' inaugural season is drawing a slightly lower ratings share (and consequently a far smaller audience) than the Sonics' '07-'08 funeral procession?

[ACF]

Go figure.

[The Walker Wiggle]

Ha, yes, how could anyone see this coming?

Except, of course, countless Sonics fans, me, and Mark Cuban:

"I'm going to wait to get all the information," he said before the Sonics' game against the Mavericks. "But my preference is the Sonics stay in Seattle. My prejudice is against having a Dustbowl Division in this part of the country because I don't think in the big picture that helps the NBA and I think the bigger market helps the NBA."

[ACF]

Let's hope Stern is feeling really
stupid when he sees this. He should.