Tony Awards telecast draws 6.35 million viewers, down 10% from 2014
Hosts Alan Cumming and Kristin Chenoweth pose with the cast of “Gigi” backstage at the 2015 Tony Awards at
The CBS telecast of the 69th Tony Awards pulled an average audience of 6.35 million viewers, down 10% from last year, according to the fast national ratings from Nielsen.
The ratings for the live ceremony hosted by Alan Cumming and Kristin Chenoweth are close to the all-time low for the Tonys, which was 6 million in 2012. Final numbers will be issued Tuesday. Among viewers ages 18 to 49, the demographic preferred by advertisers, the telecast earned a .9 rating.
While the Tony Awards telecast has never been a ratings blockbuster, it faced formidable competition this year, with the second game of the NBA Finals on ABC and “Game of Thrones” on HBO.
FULL COVERAGE: Tonys 2015 | Top winners | Complete list
The audience level fell off as the three-hour ceremony went on. With the lack of a major breakout Broadway hit among the Tony nominees, a ratings drop-off was anticipated. “Fun Home” was the winner for best musical, while “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” earned the trophy for best play.
Game 2 of the NBA — a Cleveland Cavaliers victory over the Golden State Warriors in overtime — averaged 18.8 million viewers from 8 to 11:24 p.m. ET. In viewers 18 to 49, the game averaged a 7.3 rating.
Through the first two games of the finals, ABC’s audience is up 24% over last year and 20% in the 18 to 49 demo. It’s the best start since ABC began carrying the NBA Finals in 2003.
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