Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Excited about strong start? So is rest of South Florida.
While the Miami Heat have perennially been a major draw in South Florida, interest has spiked amid the team’s strong first half.
With the Heat off to a 35-19 start at the All-Star break, TV ratings for their games on Fox Sports Sun are up 37% from last season, according to the station, marking the fourth-highest year-to-year growth among NBA teams. Miami’s 2.84 household rating, which equates to nearly 49,000 homes, is the team’s highest average viewership since the 2015-16 season.
In addition, the Heat have experienced a surge in streaming audience on the Fox Sports Go app, jumping 60% from last season.
Miami’s growth can likely be attributed to a few factors. The Heat made a significant splash in the offseason, landing AllStar Jimmy Butler from the Philadelphia 76ers. Generating significant buzz and excitement, Miami then capitalized on the momentum, racing off to its best first-half start in six years.
Buoyed by breakout performances from Bam Adebayo and Duncan Robinson, and rookies Kendrick Nunn and Tyler Herro, the Heat have compiled an exciting, fanfriendly roster. In addition, with the rest of
South Florida’s franchises continuing to struggle, the Heat have seized the market as the successful team.
The most-watched Heat game this season was the 107-104 win over the Utah Jazz on on Dec. 23, generating a 3.89 rating. Miami’s recent 31-point blowout win over Philadelphia came in second with a 3.76 mark. Heat fans have clearly enjoyed watching the team beat the 76ers, as two of the top six games were wins over their Eastern Conference rival.
The Heat’s West Coast reunion with LeBron James and Los Angeles Lakers recorded the third-highest rating, generating a 3.72.
Last season, Miami posted a 2.3 season average, ranking in the top half of the NBA.
Florida Panthers TV ratings have also risen this season. Through 55 games, viewership is up 13% year-over-year on Fox Sports Florida. Live streaming has grown at a similar rate, with the team up 13% on the Fox Sports Go app.
While the Panthers were also aggressive in free agency, landing goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and three-time Stanley Cup-winning coach Joel Quenneville, the on-ice results haven’t matched the Heat’s so far. Florida, which has missed the playoffs in 16 of its previous 18 seasons, sits two points out of a playoff spot with 25 games remaining. The Panthers posted an 0.26 rating last season, per Sports Business Journal. That figure was the third-lowest in the NHL of out data collected from 22 of the 24 U.S.based teams. Data on the Carolina Hurricanes and Nashville Predators was not available.