NBA Playoffs: Average Ratings, Viewership, Down on ABC; Sixers/Celtics Game 7 Mixed

Posted by | 06/01/2012 at 2:12 pm

Ratings and viewership for the NBA Playoffs on ABC fell double-digits from last year’s multi-year high.

Coverage of the 2012 NBA Playoffs on ABC averaged a 3.7 rating and 5.616 million viewers, down 12% in ratings and 17% in viewership from last year (4.2, 6.754M), but up 9% and 7%, respectively, from 2010 (3.4, 5.258M).

Part of the decline can be attributed to the lockout-adjusted schedule. ABC missed out entirely on the high-profile Thunder/Lakers series, as the only weekend game aired at 10:30 PM ET on a Saturday night as the second-half of a back-to-back.

ABC completed its early round schedule on a mixed note Saturday night. Game 7 of the Sixers/Celtics second round series drew a 4.5 final rating and 7.012 million viewers, up 2% in ratings but down 2% in viewership from Grizzlies/Thunder Game 7 on a Sunday afternoon last year (4.4, 7.141M), and flat in both measures compared to Celtics/Magic Game 1 on a Sunday in 2010 (4.5, 7.030M).

The game ranks as the least-viewed second round Game 7 on ABC (five telecasts). Of course, those previous Game 7s aired on a Sunday afternoon as opposed to a Saturday night.

Ratings/Viewership For 2012 NBA Playoffs on ABC
Entering the NBA Finals

Date Time Game # Net Rating vs. ’11 Viewers (000) vs. ’11
Sat., 4/28/12 3:30 PM Knicks/Heat
1
 ABC
3.1
+3%
4,752
+5%
Sun., 4/29/12 3:30 PM Nuggets/Lakers
1
 ABC
3.3
-11%
4,882
-18%
Sun., 5/6/12 1:00 PM Bulls/Sixers
4
 ABC
2.8
-10%
4,224
-16%
3:30 PM Heat/Knicks
4
 ABC
4.5
+7%
7,013
even
Sun., 5/13/12 1:00 PM Clippers/Grizzlies
7
 ABC
3.2
+3%
4,663
-3%
3:30 PM Pacers/Heat
1
 ABC
4.4
-24%
7,016
-23%
Sat., 5/19/12 3:30 PM Spurs/Clippers
3
 ABC
2.3
-4%
3,182
-13%
Sun., 5/20/12 3:30 PM Heat/Pacers
4
 ABC
4.8
-9%
7,625
-14%
Sat., 5/26/12 8:00 PM Sixers/Celtics
7
 ABC
4.5
+2%
7,012
-2%

(Averages from ESPN; Saturday’s numbers from Media Life Magazine)

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