YES Network ratings jump dramatically ... but still lag Knicks

The final local television ratings for the regular season are in and there's good news and bad news for YES. The regional network's coverage of the Nets jumped 210 percent this year, just above the 200 percent jump for the Thunder, but the raw ratings number still ranks in the NBA's bottom five (and about one-third of the Knicks' ratings.)

Specifically, the average Nets broadcast attracted 0.96 percent of the 7.4 million TV households in the New York area, or about 71,000 households. The Knicks attract 3.12 percent or about 230,000 households. Knicks viewership on MSG was among those with big jumps this season, rising 71 percent to a rating of 3.12 and an audience of 230,000 households.

Teams that disappointed wound up with big losses in TV ratings. The Lakers lost 10,000 households; the Magic 18,000 and surprisingly the Bulls 45,000. The Nets who have finished dead last in ratings (not households) the last two years, rose to 28th. The Bobcats, once again mired near the bottom of the league standings, attracted only 6,000 households per game this season. The Lakers attracted more than 40 times the Bobcat audience.

• Thunderous finish among NBA local television ratings - John Ourand & David Broughton - Sports Business Journal