The ratings are in, save for the main event figures, and MMA’s debut on network television is a ratings success. The specific numbers on the Kimbo-James Thompson main event will not be available until Tuesday so the numbers figure to go up even further. The following is a press release from CBS:
THE INAUGURAL “CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS” MIXED MARTIAL ARTS EVENT LEADS THE NETWORK TO DEMOGRAPHIC VICTORY AND SIGNIFICANT TIME PERIOD GROWTH
CBS Places First in Key Young Adult and Men Demographics with Triple Digit Percentage Increases Versus the Network’s Season Average on Saturday
National Ratings for the Highest Rated Part of the Broadcast—Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson —which Did Not Air Until 11:30 PM, Will Not be Available Until Tuesday
Local Markets Show Ratings Surge in Final Quarter-Hour
The inaugural CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS mixed martial arts event, live from Newark N.J., led the Network to demographic victory and significant time period growth among all key young adult and young men demographics from 9:00-11:00 PM, according to preliminary Nielsen live plus same day ratings for Saturday, May 31.
The 9:00-11:00PM portion of CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS (2.7/05, 4.30m) was first in adults 25-54 (1.9/06), adults 18-49 (1.9/06), adults 18-34 (1.9/07), men 25-54 (2.6/08), men 18-49 (2.5/08) and men 18-34 (2.6/10).
Editors Note: Preliminary national ratings for Saturday night only include the 9:00-11:00 PM prime time portion of the broadcast and do not include the highest rated part of the telecast–Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson–which didn’t air until 11:30 PM. Full program ratings will not be available until Tuesday.
Also, CBS programming was pre-empted in approximately 5% of the country due to coverage of the Children’s Miracle Network Telethon.
The broadcast posted increases in every half-hour in key adult and men demographics:
Adults Men Adults Men Adults Men
18-34 18-34 18-49 18-49 25-54 25-54
9PM 1.4 1.7 1.4 1.7 1.5 1.8
9:30PM 1.5 2.1 1.6 2.0 1.6 2.2
10PM 2.1 3.0 2.1 2.8 2.1 2.9
1030PM 2.5 3.6 2.4 3.4 2.5 3.4
Compared to the 9:00-11:00PM regularly scheduled programming during the 2007-08 season, CBS was up +36% in adults 18-49 (from 1.4/04), +111% in adults 18-34 (from 0.9/03), +86% in men 25-54 (from 1.4/04), +127% in men 18-49 (from 1.1/03), +271% in men 18-34 (from 0.7/03).
In the 54 metered local markets, the broadcast gained in every half-hour, beginning with a 2.4/5 from 9:00-9:30 PM and peaking at a 4.7/10 from 11:30-11:45 PM during the Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson main event.
Half-hour by half-hour ratings in the 54 metered markets.
+ 9:00-9:30pm 2.4/5
+ 9:30-10:00pm 2.5/5
+ 10:00-10:30pm 3.2/6
+ 10:30-11:00pm 3.7/7
+ 11:00-11:30pm 4.0/8
+ 11:30-11:45pm 4.7/10
The Top 10 markets from 11:30-11:45 PM (featuring Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson)
1) Oklahoma City/KWTV 11.1/18
2) Nashville/WTVF 10.3/19
3) New Orleans/WWL 9.7/15
4) Memphis/WREG 8.4/14
5) Greenville-Spartanburg- 8.0/15
Asheville/WSPA
6) Las Vegas/KLAS 7.5/15
7T) Tulsa/KOTV 7.3/13
7T) Miami/WFOR 7.3/12
9) Los Angeles/KCBS 7.2/17
10) St Louis/KMOV 7.1/13
SHOWTIME will rebroadcast last night’s event on Friday, June 13 (11:00 PM, ET/PT).
