ESPN Generates Highest-Rated NBA Summer League Telecast Ever Across Networks

Rating Up 33 Percent from Previous Record

ESPN generated the highest-rated NBA Summer League game ever across networks on Friday night, according to Nielsen. The telecast featuring Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans vs. R.J. Barrett and the New York Knicks drew a record 1.2 metered market rating on ESPN, up 33 percent from the previous record set in 2017 between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics, which was Lonzo Ball’s expected debut.

Additionally, last night’s telecast was up 200 percent from last year’s comparable game – the Dallas Mavericks vs. the Phoenix Suns – which delivered a 0.4 metered market rating.

The top five local markets for Friday’s Pelicans vs. Knicks game were New Orleans (7.0), Memphis (3.0), Norfolk (2.4), Raleigh-Durham (2.3) and Greensboro (1.9). The ESPN telecast generated a 1.8 in the New York market.

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