News flash: TV viewers are hungry for anything new and familiar. This week’s midsummer, pandemic-referenced high-rated TV content: the
NBA.
Concerning this -- and in the wake of question marks concerning broader prime-time
entertainment for the fall -- non-sports TV marketers might be asking this question: Should we take the long-range three-point shot?
Opening viewing of the NBA games and content on
TNT recorded a doubling of viewership above the average of its previous regular TV season games. That's before the pandemic gave the league what amounted to multiple technicals. Last Thursday
night’s doubleheader drew an average of 3.4 million viewers on TNT.
All this
followed up on baseball's initial opening game, on the Thursday before, on ESPN. The NY Yankees-Washington Nationals games registered 4 million Nielsen-measured viewers. That weekend, some 18 games
posted an average 1.2 million viewers — double the number over the same weekend a year ago.
Sure, things will slow down. For example, the re-opening of NHL season (starting
this Saturday) has posted higher, but comparable numbers, to the regular season games, which stopped in March.
No matter. Even rough comparisons will tell you the obvious: Live/fresh
TV sports and entertainment is sorely missed.
TV Watch now hears upfront budgets -- to some degree -- are being registered as TV ad deal-making when season-long TV budgets
are placed from September through August. This comes even as there is an ongoing mystery as to what new prime-time programming will appear.
But know this: Some prime-time
entertainment marketers that previously didn’t buy sports might consider it as we approach the third week of September, the traditional start of the TV season.
What would it
take for some prime-time marketers to make the leap? Not much, according to one veteran media agency executive. That executive says in this environment, you go with what you have -- even if it’s
not perfect.
What about targeting too many men? No problem. Marketers could load up on social-media platforms -- Facebook/Twitter/Snap -- to get women they would ordinary get from
prime-time entertainment programming. Roughly, around 55% to 65% of prime-time network entertainment viewers -- depending on the show -- are women.
So, in looking for fourth-quarter
TV headlines for new top rookie shows, I’m counting on hockey, basketball, baseball and NASCAR to get some ink -- anything where TV performers speak little and have a number on their backs. Or
their cars.