“Anthony Davis’ Foul Play,” a new hidden camera prank show hosted by the NBA star, premiered to a large audience on April 6 when it was simulcast on TBS, TNT and TruTV after the NCAA men’s basketball championship game.
After viewers watched the University of Michigan Wolverines defeat the University of Michigan Huskies to win the NCAA Championship (averaging 18.3 million viewers, the highest championship record since 2019), a combined 2 million viewers stayed to watch “Foul Play.” In the adults 25-54 demo, the premiere averaged a 0.86 rating with a Live+3 Nielsen rating on TBS alone.
This makes Anthony Davis the No. 1 new original cable series in adults 25-54 by 2026, according to TBS.
With the first broadcast of “Foul Play,” TBS saw a significant increase in demo numbers, exceeding the average for the previous six weeks for the same time slot by 326%. “Foul Play,” which airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on TBS, has also generated more than 22 million impressions and more than 48 million video views, according to the cable network.
For Live + 3 Adults 25-54 impressions, the “Foul Play” premiere averaged 366,000 viewers. That’s more than other cable premieres this winter: TLC’s “Suddenly Amish” (341,000), HBO’s “Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” (272,000), Bravo’s “Real Housewives of Rhode Island” (270,000) and Food Network’s “Flavortown Food Fight” (193,000).
Davis, a 10-time NBA All-Star, hosts “Foul Play,” where he helps athletes and celebrities prank their famous friends. The premiere episode featured Davis helping LeBron James and agent Rich Paul prank NBA star Draymond Green with a “super exclusive investment opportunity that will result in a shocking mental transformation.” The episode also features Davis helping Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles prank WNBA star Rikea Jackson.
Davis and Paul are stars of “Impractical Jokers” and executive producers along with EP’s James Murray, Brian Quinn and Sal Vulcano. Simmmy Kustanowitz (Bad Woods Entertainment), Ben Newmark and Dan Newmark (Grandma’s House Entertainment), Fara Leff, Danny Barton (4.4.Forty Media), and Stuart Miller are also EPs.
Grandma’s House Entertainment, Bad Woods Entertainment, and 4.4.Forty Media are the show’s producers.
