NEW YORK (AP) — Sports fans have been treated to plenty of bonus action this week in the basketball and hockey playoffs — and they’re taking advantage of the opportunity.
In just over 24 hours Monday and Tuesday, two games in the NBA and one in the NHL went to overtime. The hockey game needed two extra periods.
Viewers flocked to the broadcasts even as the hours grew late on the East Coast.
Tuesday’s Bulls-Heat Game 4 on TNT picked up nearly 2.3 million viewers from the first half-hour of coverage of the fourth quarter to the second half-hour. Monday’s Mavericks-Thunder Game 4 on ESPN added more than 1.4 million people in 45 minutes from early in the fourth to the start of overtime.
Tuesday’s Sharks-Canucks Game 5 drew a third more viewers for the overtimes than for regulation.
