Lin Jun-Da, February 22, 2012, 10:52 AM - Reporter Lin Jun-Da / Comprehensive Report: "Linsanity" has not only swept Taiwan but also the United States, with ratings continually hitting new highs, even forcing basketball legends to take a backseat. According to statistics released by the New York Knicks on Tuesday, the ratings for the two previous games at Madison Square Garden have set a new record since they began tracking ratings in the 1988-89 season. Even the losses against the Hornets last Friday and the Nets yesterday had ratings exceeding 7.3, equating to over 540,000 households tuning in.
The highest home game rating in New York's past was during Michael Jordan’s famous “double 5” match, which took place on March 28, 1995. It was Jordan's fifth game after his comeback and his first time returning to Madison Square Garden, where he scored 55 points. The rating for that legendary game was 6.78. In other words, the only thing to surpass the ratings for a game at Madison Square Garden compared to the "basketball emperor" is "Linsanity."
Due to Linsanity, there has been a renewed fervor for basketball domestically as well. Several recent broadcasts of Knicks games on纬来体育台 (WEI LAI Sports Channel) have achieved unprecedented ratings for NBA games. On February 12, the game against the Timberwolves reached 3.01 (cable), on February 15, against the Raptors it was 2.52, on February 20, against the Mavericks, the live broadcast at 2 AM garnered 1.88, while the evening replay surged to 4.16. On February 21, the game against the Nets hit 2.77.
Keywords: Linsanity, Jeremy Lin, Knicks