The average regular-season rating for a game is around 2.4.

The league's regular-season ratings are also down, and what a shock.

Only the Christmas Day game draws a similar regular-season rating.

"Monday Night's" regular-season rating fell slightly, to its lowest point, proof that the quality of announcing is of minimal importance if the games are poor.

The N.B.A.'s regular-season ratings are down 40 percent since 1995-96.

Indeed, the league's regular-season rating on TNN last year averaged a 0.22.

Only last season, the Devils' 0.21 regular-season rating topped the Islanders' 0.15.

ESPN's regular-season ratings were off from a minuscule 0.9 to an even tinier 0.8.

Goren would have been satisfied with low regular-season ratings if they had led to a post-season bonanza.

That Stern pulled off such a deal is remarkable; since the mid-1990's, regular-season ratings have tumbled 42 percent.