Kawhi Leonard’s shot heard ’round the world Sunday helped the Toronto Raptors crack the two million mark in English Canada.
Sportsnet National’s coverage of the Round 2, Game 7 Raptors’ victory over the Philadelphia 76ers drew an overnight, estimated average minute A2+ audience of 1,752,000, with another 402,000 tuning in over on Sportsnet One+. That combined total of 2,154,000 tops all NHL Stanley Cup playoff numbers so far this season save for some of the Toronto Maple Leaf-Boston Bruins games in the first round of the NHL playoffs.
It also stands as the most-viewed basketball game ever on Sportsnet. Three million viewers tuned in for the last few minutes as Kawhi sunk that bouncy buzzer beater.
Not bad considering another two-and-a-half million or more Canadians were likely watching the little blond torch everything in sight on HBO’s Game of Thrones.
The basketball game also boosted Sunday’s Sportsnet Central prime numbers (893,000) and bodychecked NHL playoff coverage. An afternoon 3rd round tilt between Carolina and Boston managed 444,000 overnight, estimated viewers on Sportsnet National and another 549,000 on CBC. In English Canada, score it 2.2M B-Ball, less that 1M hockey in playoff coverage.
All that sports action Sunday left just 317,000 watching the Jays-White Sox on Sportsnet One+.
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The games also put a dent in regular broadcast and specialty numbers. The third and final season return of Mary Kills People drew just 392,000 on Global. Another Mary, the one with the Kitchen Crush, whipped up 428,000 on CTV. HGTV’s Island of Bryan continues to build with 542,000 estimated viewers topping History’s Oak Island (345,000). American Idol sang to 308,000 on CTV Two while Killing Eve did 238,000 on Bravo.
