In contrast to national trend, Rockets see higher local TV ratings

Compared to last year, overall local and national TV ratings are down for the 2019-20 NBA season. However, they’re up for the Rockets.

Though television ratings around the NBA are largely down in the 2019-20 season to date, they’re up for local telecasts in Houston.

According to data through the All-Star break compiled by the Sports Business Journal (SBJ), the average rating (2.26) of Rockets’ broadcasts on AT&T SportsNet Southwest is up 4% from the same 2018-19 period.

Last year’s Rockets were coming off more success in the previous season, having won a franchise-record 65 games in 2017-18 and advanced to Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. By comparison, these Rockets are coming off a 2018-19 campaign with just 53 wins and an elimination in six games during the second round of the playoffs.

Nonetheless, the offseason trade for Russell Westbrook seems to have sparked additional relative interest, especially on a local level. While ratings for Rockets’ telecasts are up by 4%, the league’s overall average on local broadcasts is down 13% from last season.

The SBJ analysis studied 27 of the league’s 30 teams, with data on Utah, Memphis, and Toronto not available. Of those 27, a majority posted ratings drops, and 13 had declines of 19 percentage points or more.

Nationally, television broadcasts of NBA games on ABC, ESPN, and TNT are down 12% this season. According to SBJ’s figures, ABC is down 16%, TNT down 13%, and ESPN down 10%.

Part of the decline in national TV numbers is attributable to Golden State, which has the league’s worst record this season but has still received a healthy share of national broadcasts based on their pedigree as five-time defending Western Conference champions. Per SBJ data, ratings for local Warriors broadcasts are down 66% from a year ago.

The Rockets (34-20) return to play Thursday with a road game against those Warriors (12-43), with tip-off scheduled for 9:30 p.m. Central time in an exclusive national TNT broadcast. Given their record, that game probably won’t help the league’s ratings decline on a national level.

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