Up, but still low.
That summarizes the Hawks’ local television ratings for the 2018-19 season.
Nielsen ratings for Hawks telecasts on Fox Sports Southeast went up 14% from the previous season to an average of 0.59, still the fourth lowest in the NBA, according to a SportsBusiness Journal analysis of league-wide data published this week.
The Hawks’ rating means 0.59 of every 100 households in the Atlanta market watched on average this season, equaling an audience about 14,000 homes per game.
The three NBA teams with lower local TV ratings than the Hawks for the season, according to the SBJ study, were the Brooklyn Nets (0.46), Orlando Magic (0.51) and Los Angeles Clippers (0.56). The Golden State Warriors had the best local rating at 7.42.
Still, the Hawks' gain from a 0.52 rating in 2016-17 was at least a move in the right direction. Their local ratings fell 53% amid a 24-58 season in 2017-18. The Hawks were 29-53 this season.
Across the league, local ratings declined an average of 4% this season, according to the study, which included 28 of the 30 teams. Data was not available for Toronto and Memphis.
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TODAY’S LEADOFF LINKS
> One of the hottest topics of the Braves' season — and offseason — has involved a player not on the team: Craig Kimbrel. If the Braves are going to sign him, they need to do it now, Mark Bradley writes.
> As we mentioned yesterday, look who's hitting home runs again. Adam Duvall kept his streak going Monday, homering in a fifth consecutive game for the Braves' Triple-A Gwinnett farm team.
> The grade is in from D. Orlando Ledbetter on the Falcons' draft. He gives it a C-minus. Read why here.
> While in town Monday, former Atlanta United manager Gerardo Martino answered questions from the AJC's Doug Roberson. See the Q&A here.
> Fourteen former Georgia high school players were selected in last week's NFL Draft, more than last year (12) but sharply fewer than in 2017 (29) and 2015 (a record 30). See Todd Holcomb's report here.
