Pelicans TV ratings down despite better record

An improved product on the floor has not equated to higher television ratings for the New Orleans Pelicans on Bally Sports New Orleans.

According to a story this week in Sports Business Journal, Pelicans ratings on BSNO, as of Feb. 6, have decreased by 12 percent this season – the fifth-largest decrease in the NBA.

The only teams ranked below New Orleans are the Portland Trail Blazers, whose ratings have dropped 49 percent, along with the Brooklyn Nets (-37%), Washington Wizards (-35%) and Cleveland Cavaliers (-16%).

The SBJ story cites information from the Nielsen Station Index, which measures audiences for 27 NBA teams in 25 markets.

Of those 27 teams, 18 had increased viewership. The increases are largely attributed to the NBA’s in-season tournament in November and December, which produced viewership bumps.

The defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets lead the NBA in year-over-year growth, with a 139 percent increase in ratings, followed by the Minnesota Timberwolves (107%), Phoenix Suns (94%), Orlando Magic (76%) and San Antonio Spurs (54%).

It is not clear whether the Pelicans ratings report include games moved from BSNO to the over-the-air option of Gray Television – including Fox 8 in New Orleans. Those games have reportedly seen significant ratings bumps. Seven more games are scheduled to air on Gray stations.

As more and more consumers “cut the cord” from traditional cable, it has made reaching customers through the traditional method of regional sports networks more challenging. As a result, multiple teams – including the Pelicans – have moved part or all of their TV package away from RSNs and to over-the-air options.