You are here: Home » Networks » ABC »

NBA Finals: Ratings Up, Viewership Down, For Game 2

June 3, 2011 9:35 PM 6 comments

Share this Article

Author:

Tags:

After a decline in the overnights, Game 2 of the NBA Finals finished as the highest rated in seven years.

Thursday’s Mavericks/Heat Game 2 drew a 9.3 final rating and 15.520 million viewers on ABC, up 1% in ratings and down 1% in viewership compared to last year (BOS/LAL G2: 9.2, 15.718M), and up 13% and 10%, respectively, from 2009 (ORL/LAL G2: 8.2, 14.061M).

The game ranks as the highest rated Game 2 of the NBA Finals since 2004 (DET/LAL G2: 10.7), and the top Game 2 since 1999 that did not involve the Lakers (NY/SA G2: 9.6, NBC).

For some perspective, Heat/Mavericks Game 2 in 2006 drew an 8.0 and 12.410 million viewers. Cavaliers/Spurs Game 2 in 2007 (LeBron James‘ second NBA Finals game) drew a 5.6 and 8.551 million.

The 9.3 final rating for Game 2 marks a decline of just 11% from the 10.5 overnight, the smallest drop from the overnight to the final rating for any NBA Finals game since Heat/Mavericks Game 6 in 2006 (9%: 11.1 overnight, 10.1 final).

Game 2 drew a 6.5 rating among adults 18-49, matching both Game 1 on Tuesday night and last year’s Celtics/Lakers Game 2. Among women 18-34 and teens 12-17, Thursday’s game ranked as the highest rated Game 2 on ABC since the network acquired rights to the NBA in 2002.

Thursday’s game was the highest rated, most-viewed program of the night on broadcast, and the top program in all key adult demographics (18-34, 18-49 and 25-54). According to an ESPN release, this marks the the 21st straight NBA Finals game to finish as the highest rated program of the night on broadcast.

Through Game 2, the 2011 NBA Finals is averaging 15.347 million viewers on ABC, up 3% from last year (14.913M).

(Numbers from espnmediazone3.com, abcmedianet.com, TV By the Numbers)

  • JakeFrankie

    I’m reading a lot of people think Sunday and Tuesday games will draw huge rating’s (or at least ONE will), Last Year’s Lakers/Celtics drew a 9.6 for game 3 which was on a Tuesday.

    Is a 10.0 rating possible for Sunday, Espically coming off the Epic comeback from the Mavericks, Series Tied at 1-1. Paulsen what did you think will happen in your opinion of course, Since anything is possible. Remember Early start time too.

    • Paulsen

      I think there’s a good chance Game 3 will be up from last year. Depending on the quality of the game, a 10.0 could be a possibility.

  • Jeffrey T.

    For all the talk about baseball television trouble, even for marquee events, it is interesting how the World Series ratings from last year (tie for record-low) are fairly comparable with this year’s NBA Finals (incredible media buzz) through two midweek broadcasts. Game 3 will be where the NBA will vault way ahead of MLB, as the basketball game is on highly-watched Sunday night, while the Series Game 3 was on a Saturday night. I still think the Series schedule could use some tweaking. It will never happen, but I would suggest a schedule that runs more like the regular season: eliminating the first travel day, playing five straight night, one travel day (make it Saturday), and them come back for Games 6 and 7 if necessary on Sunday and Monday nights. This would require a strange LCS schedule for deciding games, but I think well worth it.

    • JakeFrankie

      Just because some people are foolish enough to believe MLB is dieing, Is no reason to compare sports. MLB gets great local rating I keep saying it, There national tv ratings have been lower in previous year that doesn’t mean the sport is in bad shape. Getting a 8.5 is good news it’s still better the most shows during that time, It could be the worst rated. But MLB or NBA aren’t going to be getting 18.0′s for sports game in 2011 it’s not going to happen.

      If MLB was getting 0.8′s for regular season games on FOX and 3.0′s for WS games than I would say the sport is in trouble. But MLB is fine stop listening to morons who tell you MLB is dieing this is coming from a Huge NBA fan.

      Bbr345 as long as the games are close it will help the ratings even more.

    • Jlasoon

      I pretty much espoused the exact same thing in another sub-forum and was hammered  by many NBA fans. The reality is, Red Sox/Cards, Red Sox/Rockies, Yankees/Phillies, White Sox/Astros have all pretty much crushed whatever the NBA has had to offer. And the NBA has served up some pretty good finals over the last few years. What I want to see, just for the sake of TV ratings is a Cubs/Red Sox final (national following). And can we please get a game 7 World Series, we haven’t had one of those since 2001 I think.  

  • Bbr345

    game 3 is a LOCK to hit a 10.0 final rating. there is a ton of buzz coming off of game 2 and it’s a Sunday night. I say 19 million total viewers. How about you guys?

Latest Posts

  • Featured NBC Sports Network NHL Ratings stanleycup

    Stanley Cup Playoffs: More Declines For NHL Conference Finals

    Despite featuring big market teams, three of the first four NHL conference final games have suffered declines in viewership compared to last year. Game 2 of the Devils/Rangers NHL Eastern Conference final drew 1.342 million viewers on NBC Sports Network Wednesday night, down 14% from Bruins/Lightning Game 2 on a Tuesday night last year (1.562M), but up 9% from Canadiens/Flyers Game 2 on a Tuesday night in 2010 (1.228M). Wednesday’s game was also down 22% from Hurricanes/Penguins Game 2 on [...]

    Read more →
  • Featured NBA Ratings Turner Sports nbaplayoffstnt

    NBA Playoffs: Lakers/Thunder Hits Playoff High; Celtics/Sixers Down Again

    The Lakers/Thunder series attracted another big audience Tuesday night. Game 2 of the Lakers/Thunder second round NBA playoff series drew 7.445 million viewers on TNT Wednesday night, up 6% from Mavericks/Lakers Game 2 in a later timeslot last year (7.036M), and up 86% from Spurs/Suns Game 2 in 2010 (3.999M). The game ranks as the most-viewed telecast of the playoffs on any network*, topping Heat/Knicks Game 4 on ABC in the first round (7.013M). Of the 29 NBA playoff telecasts [...]

    Read more →
  • Featured MLB MLB Network Turner Sports mlbtbs

    New MLB Wild Card Games to Air on TBS; MLB Network to Get Two Division Series Games

    TBS has gained the rights to the new MLB Wild Card games for the next two seasons, but will lose a pair of Division Series contests to MLB Network. The new Major League Baseball Wild Card games will air on TBS for the next two seasons, it was announced Thursday. Under the new MLB playoff format that begins this season, there will be two Wild Card teams in each league who play in a one-game playoff to advance to the [...]

    Read more →
  • Comcast ESPN Featured FSN FX Int'l Soccer NASCAR NBA Ratings Speed Channel epl

    TV Ratings: 1.3 Million For EPL ‘Survival Sunday’ (Also: Sixers Ratings, NASCAR Nationwide Series)

    The English Premier League ‘Survival Sunday’ attracted over one million viewers across a variety of networks Sunday. In other news, just over 4% of Philadelphia TV homes watched the Sixers finish off the Bulls, and Friday’s Nationwide Series race had a double-digit rise in viewership. 1.3 Million Viewers For ‘Survival Sunday’: Coverage of the English Premier League ‘Survival Sunday’ — featuring ten concurrent matches on eight networks and two digital outlets — combined for 1.348 million viewers across FX, Fox [...]

    Read more →
  • Featured NBA Ratings Turner Sports nbaplayoffstnt

    NBA Playoffs: Another Big Drop For Pacers/Heat; Clippers/Spurs Opener Up

    Viewership dropped by more than a quarter for the second game of the Pacers/Heat series. Game 2 of the Pacers/Heat second round NBA playoff series drew 4.457 million viewers on TNT Tuesday night, down 26% from Celtics/Heat Game 2 last year (6.006M), but up 50% from Hawks/Magic Game 1 in 2010 (2.977). Preliminary overnight ratings for Sunday’s Game 1 on ABC were also down 26% compared to last year’s Celtics/Heat series. Later in the night, Game 1 of the Clippers/Spurs [...]

    Read more →
  • Broadcasters ESPN Featured Olympics SportsCenter olympicsnbc

    Big Names: Tilghman to Host Olympics For MSNBC (Also: ESPN’s Bonner, Beadle, Exit)

    Golf Channel anchor Kelly Tilghman will host coverage of the Olympics for MSNBC. In other news, ESPN’s Michelle Bonner and Michelle Beadle are leaving the network. A Long Way From the ‘Back Alley’: Golf Channel anchor Kelly Tilghman will host coverage of the 2012 Olympic Games for the MSNBC cable news network, it was announced Wednesday. The 2012 Olympics will be the first such assignment for Tilghman. Also hosting Olympic coverage for NBC Universal will be former CBS Sports broadcaster [...]

    Read more →
  • Featured Golf (M) Local NBA NHL Ratings The Golf Channel golfchannel

    TV Ratings: Golf Channel Sets Record For TPC Friday (Also: Record Local Ratings For NHL in N.Y., NBA in OKC)

    The Players Championship earned a record audience on The Golf Channel Friday. In other news, the NHL and NBA playoffs set local ratings records in New York and Oklahoma City, respectively. Record Numbers For TPC on TGC Friday: Friday’s second round coverage of The Players Championship drew 1.804 million viewers on The Golf Channel, the largest audience on record (dates back to ’95) for early round coverage of the event. First round action on Thursday drew 1.126 million, up 5% [...]

    Read more →
  • FOX NASCAR Ratings sprintcup

    Sprint Cup: Final Rating For Talladega Race Second-Lowest Since ’98

    Ratings for the recent NASCAR race from Talladega were quite strong, but remained low historically. The May 6 NASCAR Sprint Cup Aaron’s 499 from Talladega drew a 5.1 final rating, down a tick from both last year and 2010 (5.2). Excluding rainouts, the 5.1 rating is the second-lowest for the spring Talladega race since it returned to broadcast television in 1998. As recently as 2005, the race drew a comparably massive 7.6 rating. That was part of a stretch from [...]

    Read more →
  • Featured NBA Ratings Turner Sports nbaplayoffstnt

    NBA Playoffs: Strong Start For Lakers/Thunder; Sixers/Celtics a Dud

    Even in a blowout, the highly-anticipated Lakers/Thunder series attracted strong numbers for TNT. Game 1 of the Lakers/Thunder second round NBA playoff series drew 6.687 million viewers on TNT Monday night, up 4% from Mavericks/Lakers Game 1 last year (6.429M), and up 63% from Spurs/Suns Game 1 in 2010 (4.110M). The game earned the largest audience of the playoffs on cable, topping Nuggets/Lakers Game 7 two nights earlier (6.464M). Of the 25 NBA playoff telecasts on TNT that can be [...]

    Read more →
  • Featured NBC Sports Network NHL Ratings stanleycup

    Stanley Cup Playoffs: Devils/Rangers Opener Down Double-Digits; Kings/Coyotes Up

    The Devils/Rangers rivalry did not attract big numbers Monday night. Game 1 of the Devils/Rangers NHL Eastern Conference final drew 1.285 million viewers on NBC Sports Network Monday night, down 17% from Bruins/Lightning Game 1 on a Saturday night last year (1.541M), and down 13% from Canadiens/Flyers Game 1 on a Sunday night in 2010 (1.481M). The game was also down 23% from Hurricanes/Penguins Game 1 in 2009 (1.660M). While the Rangers — and to a lesser extent, the Devils [...]

    Read more →