Though down from last year, the 2012 NBA Playoffs did well for the league’s national broadcast partners.
The 2012 NBA Playoffs averaged approximately six million viewers across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and TNT, down from last year (appx. 6.4M), but up from 2010 (appx. 5.7M).
The first two rounds of the playoffs dragged down the numbers. Of the 56 first and second round telecasts on ESPN/ABC and TNT that could be compared to last year, 38 suffered declines in viewership, and 28 suffered double-digit declines.
The Conference Finals and NBA Finals made up for lower numbers in the first two rounds. The Heat/Celtics Eastern Conference Finals on ESPN accounted for four of the ten largest NBA audiences ever on cable, and the series as a whole ranked as the highest rated (tie) and second-most viewed conference final on cable.
The Thunder/Spurs Western Conference Finals on TNT was not as big of a draw, but was still up from the 2011 West final on ESPN. The clinching Game 6 of the series earned the largest audience ever for an NBA game on cable that did not involve LeBron James or Kobe Bryant.
The five-game Heat/Thunder NBA Finals was down slightly from last year’s six-game series, but all five games were up in viewership. The series included the most-viewed Game 1 of the NBA Finals since 2001, the most-viewed Game 2 since 2001, and the most-viewed Game 4 since 2004.
Overall, the postseason was the highest rated and most-viewed ever on ESPN (3.9, 6.228M), and the second-best ever on Turner Sports (3.1, 4.812M). The average numbers on ABC (6.0, 9.665M) were down from both last year and 2010, when the network had the benefit of longer NBA Finals series.
Average Ratings/Viewership For NBA Playoffs on ESPN/ABC and TNT
Past four seasons
* ABC numbers include the NBA Finals
|
Year
|
ABC | ESPN | TNT | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|
| 2012 |
6.0
|
9,665
|
3.9
|
6,228
|
3.1
|
4,812
|
| 2011 |
6.6
|
11,104
|
3.1
|
4,975
|
3.5
|
5,534
|
| 2010 |
6.6
|
10,970
|
2.9
|
4,596
|
2.8
|
4,246
|
| 2009 |
5.2
|
8,578
|
3.1
|
4,892
|
3.1
|
4,708
|
Ratings/Viewership For Every Game of the 2012 NBA Playoffs
Games on NBA TV not included
| Date | Time | Away | Home | Round |
Gm. #
|
Net | Rating | Viewers (000) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., 4/28/12 | 1:00 PM | Sixers | Bulls |
First
|
1
|
TNT |
1.6
|
2,475
|
| 3:30 PM | Knicks | Heat |
First
|
1
|
ABC |
3.1
|
4,752
|
|
| 7:00 PM | Magic | Pacers |
First
|
1
|
ESPN |
1.7
|
2,551
|
|
| 9:30 PM | Mavs | Thunder |
First
|
1
|
ESPN |
2.7
|
4,115
|
|
| Sun., 4/29/12 | 1:00 PM | Jazz | Spurs |
First
|
1
|
ESPN |
2.2
|
3,197
|
| 3:30 PM | Nuggets | Lakers |
First
|
1
|
ABC |
3.3
|
4,882
|
|
| 7:00 PM | Celtics | Hawks |
First
|
1
|
TNT |
2.6
|
3,971
|
|
| 9:30 PM | Clippers | Grizzlies |
First
|
1
|
TNT |
2.6
|
3,982
|
|
| Mon., 4/30/12 | 7:00 PM | Knicks | Heat |
First
|
2
|
TNT |
2.8
|
4,373
|
| 9:30 PM | Mavs | Thunder |
First
|
2
|
TNT |
3.2
|
4,736
|
|
| Tue., 5/1/12 | 8:00 PM | Sixers | Bulls |
First
|
2
|
TNT |
2.1
|
3,108
|
| 10:30 PM | Nuggets | Lakers |
First
|
2
|
TNT |
2.6
|
3,931
|
|
| Wed., 5/2/12 | 7:00 PM | Jazz | Spurs |
First
|
2
|
TNT |
1.3
|
1,811
|
| 9:30 PM | Clippers | Grizzlies |
First
|
2
|
TNT |
2.2
|
3,137
|
|
| Thu., 5/3/12 | 7:00 PM | Heat | Knicks |
First
|
3
|
TNT |
2.8
|
4,132
|
| 9:30 PM | Thunder | Mavs |
First
|
3
|
TNT |
3.0
|
4,622
|
|
| Fri., 5/4/12 | 7:30 PM | Hawks | Celtics |
First
|
3
|
ESPN |
1.8
|
2,883
|
| 8:00 PM | Bulls | Sixers |
First
|
3
|
ESPN2 |
0.7
|
1,069
|
|
| 10:30 PM | Lakers | Nuggets |
First
|
3
|
ESPN |
2.4
|
3,594
|
|
| Sat., 5/5/12 | 2:00 PM | Magic | Pacers |
First
|
4
|
ESPN |
1.6
|
2,358
|
| 4:30 PM | Grizzlies | Clippers |
First
|
3
|
ESPN |
1.9
|
2,864
|
|
| 7:30 PM | Thunder | Mavs |
First
|
4
|
TNT |
2.1
|
3,391
|
|
| 10:00 PM | Spurs | Jazz |
First
|
3
|
TNT |
1.5
|
2,230
|
|
| Sun., 5/6/12 | 1:00 PM | Bulls | Sixers |
First
|
4
|
ABC |
2.8
|
4,224
|
| 3:30 PM | Heat | Knicks |
First
|
4
|
ABC |
4.5
|
7,013
|
|
| 7:00 PM | Hawks | Celtics |
First
|
4
|
TNT |
2.4
|
3,588
|
|
| 9:30 PM | Lakers | Nuggets |
First
|
4
|
TNT |
3.1
|
4,622
|
|
| Mon., 5/7/12 | 8:00 PM | Spurs | Jazz |
First
|
4
|
TNT |
1.8
|
2,540
|
| 10:30 PM | Grizzlies | Clippers |
First
|
4
|
TNT |
2.3
|
3,313
|
|
| Tue., 5/8/12 | 8:00 PM | Celtics | Hawks |
First
|
5
|
TNT |
2.4
|
3,687
|
| 10:30 PM | Nuggets | Lakers |
First
|
5
|
TNT |
2.8
|
4,195
|
|
| Wed., 5/9/12 | 7:00 PM | Knicks | Heat |
First
|
5
|
TNT |
2.6
|
4,102
|
| 9:30 PM | Clippers | Grizzlies |
First
|
5
|
TNT |
2.6
|
4,016
|
|
| Thu., 5/10/12 | 8:00 PM | Hawks | Celtics |
First
|
6
|
TNT |
2.5
|
3,627
|
| 10:30 PM | Lakers | Nuggets |
First
|
6
|
TNT |
3.0
|
4,339
|
|
| Fri., 5/11/12 | 9:00 PM | Grizzlies | Clippers |
First
|
6
|
ESPN |
2.4
|
3,831
|
| Sat., 5/12/12 | 8:00 PM | Sixers | Celtics |
Semis
|
1
|
TNT |
2.9
|
4,253
|
| 10:30 PM | Nuggets | Lakers |
First
|
7
|
TNT |
4.1
|
6,464
|
|
| Sun., 5/13/12 | 1:00 PM | Clippers | Grizzlies |
First
|
7
|
ABC |
3.2
|
4,663
|
| 3:30 PM | Pacers | Heat |
Semis
|
1
|
ABC |
4.4
|
7,016
|
|
| Mon., 5/14/12 | 7:00 PM | Sixers | Celtics |
Semis
|
2
|
TNT |
2.6
|
4,016
|
| 9:30 PM | Lakers | Thunder |
Semis
|
1
|
TNT |
4.3
|
6,687
|
|
| Tue., 5/15/12 | 7:00 PM | Pacers | Heat |
Semis
|
2
|
TNT |
2.9
|
4,457
|
| 9:30 PM | Clippers | Spurs |
Semis
|
1
|
TNT |
3.4
|
5,040
|
|
| Wed., 5/16/12 | 7:00 PM | Celtics | Sixers |
Semis
|
3
|
TNT |
2.5
|
3,730
|
| 9:30 PM | Lakers | Thunder |
Semis
|
2
|
TNT |
4.6
|
7,445
|
|
| Thu., 5/17/12 | 7:00 PM | Heat | Pacers |
Semis
|
3
|
ESPN |
3.0
|
4,453
|
| 9:30 PM | Clippers | Spurs |
Semis
|
2
|
ESPN |
3.2
|
4,683
|
|
| Fri., 5/18/12 | 8:00 PM | Celtics | Sixers |
Semis
|
4
|
ESPN |
3.1
|
4,751
|
| 10:30 PM | Thunder | Lakers |
Semis
|
3
|
ESPN |
4.6
|
7,377
|
|
| Sat., 5/19/12 | 3:30 PM | Spurs | Clippers |
Semis
|
3
|
ABC |
2.3
|
3,182
|
| 10:30 PM | Thunder | Lakers |
Semis
|
4
|
TNT |
3.9
|
6,366
|
|
| Sun., 5/20/12 | 3:30 PM | Heat | Pacers |
Semis
|
4
|
ABC |
4.8
|
7,625
|
| 10:30 PM | Spurs | Clippers |
Semis
|
4
|
TNT |
2.8
|
4,443
|
|
| Mon., 5/21/12 | 7:00 PM | Sixers | Celtics |
Semis
|
5
|
TNT |
2.8
|
4,174
|
| 9:30 PM | Lakers | Thunder |
Semis
|
5
|
TNT |
5.3
|
8,149
|
|
| Tue., 5/22/12 | 8:00 PM | Pacers | Heat |
Semis
|
5
|
TNT |
3.5
|
5,503
|
| Wed., 5/23/12 | 8:00 PM | Celtics | Sixers |
Semis
|
6
|
ESPN |
3.5
|
5,354
|
| Thu., 5/24/12 | 8:00 PM | Heat | Pacers |
Semis
|
6
|
ESPN |
4.5
|
6,892
|
| Sat., 5/26/12 | 8:00 PM | Sixers | Celtics |
Semis
|
7
|
ABC |
4.5
|
7,012
|
| Sun., 5/27/12 | 8:30 PM | Thunder | Spurs |
WCF
|
1
|
TNT |
4.8
|
7,764
|
| Mon., 5/28/12 | 8:30 PM | Celtics | Heat |
ECF
|
1
|
ESPN |
5.6
|
8,989
|
| Tue., 5/29/12 | 9:00 PM | Thunder | Spurs |
WCF
|
2
|
TNT |
4.6
|
7,299
|
| Wed., 5/30/12 | 8:30 PM | Celtics | Heat |
ECF
|
2
|
ESPN |
5.7
|
8,809
|
| Thu., 5/31/12 | 9:00 PM | Spurs | Thunder |
WCF
|
3
|
TNT |
4.7
|
7,134
|
| Fri., 6/1/12 | 8:30 PM | Heat | Celtics |
ECF
|
3
|
ESPN |
4.6
|
7,593
|
| Sat., 6/2/12 | 9:00 PM | Spurs | Thunder |
WCF
|
4
|
TNT |
4.1
|
6,529
|
| Sun., 6/3/12 | 8:30 PM | Heat | Celtics |
ECF
|
4
|
ESPN |
6.8
|
11,068
|
| Mon., 6/4/12 | 9:00 PM | Thunder | Spurs |
WCF
|
5
|
TNT |
5.5
|
8,507
|
| Tue., 6/5/12 | 8:30 PM | Celtics | Heat |
ECF
|
5
|
ESPN |
6.3
|
10,251
|
| Wed., 6/6/12 | 9:00 PM | Spurs | Thunder |
WCF
|
6
|
TNT |
6.0
|
9,498
|
| Thu., 6/7/12 | 8:30 PM | Heat | Celtics |
ECF
|
6
|
ESPN |
6.8
|
11,068
|
| Sat., 6/9/12 | 8:30 PM | Celtics | Heat |
ECF
|
7
|
ESPN |
7.7
|
13,346
|
| Tue., 6/12/12 | 9:00 PM | Heat | Thunder |
Finals
|
1
|
ABC |
9.9
|
16,195
|
| Thu., 6/14/12 | 9:00 PM | Heat | Thunder |
Finals
|
2
|
ABC |
10.4
|
16,670
|
| Sun., 6/17/12 | 8:00 PM | Thunder | Heat |
Finals
|
3
|
ABC |
8.8
|
15,549
|
| Tue., 6/19/12 | 9:00 PM | Thunder | Heat |
Finals
|
4
|
ABC |
10.5
|
17,455
|
| Thu., 6/21/12 | 9:00 PM | Thunder | Heat |
Finals
|
5
|
ABC |
10.9
|
18,416
|
(Ratings/viewership from ESPN, Turner Sports, Sports Business Daily, The Futon Critic, Son of the Bronx, TV By the Numbers)
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