NBA Playoffs: Over 13 Million For Celtics/Heat Finale, Largest NBA Audience Ever on Cable

Posted by | 06/12/2012 at 2:46 pm

Despite airing on the lowest rated night of the week, Game 7 of the Celtics/Heat series earned record numbers on ESPN.

Game 7 of the Celtics/Heat NBA Eastern Conference Finals drew 13.346 million viewers on ESPN Saturday night, up 31% from Pistons/Heat Game 7 on a Monday night in 2005 (9.149M, TNT), but down 44% from Lakers/Kings Game 7 on a Sunday night in 2002 (23.796M, NBC).

Game 7 ranks as the most-viewed NBA game ever on cable television, topping the previous high of 11.109 million for Heat/Bulls Game 1 last year.

The Heat/Celtics series accounts for three of the four most-viewed NBA games ever on cable, and four of the top ten. LeBron James has now played in eleven of the twelve most-viewed NBA games ever on cable, including the top five.

The 28 most-viewed NBA games on cable have taken place since the current television deal went into effect in 2002. Prior to the cable-heavy 2002 deal, the most-viewed game on cable was Game 2 of the Magic/Bulls Eastern Conference Finals on TNT in 1996 (8.185M), which now ranks 29th.

For some perspective, the most-viewed Major League Baseball game ever on cable (Game 7 of the 2008 Red Sox/Rays ALCS on TBS) drew a slighty larger audience (13.397M). That game had the benefit of airing on a Sunday night, but also faced NFL competition on NBC.

Excluding the NBA Finals, Game 7 ranks as the most-viewed NBA game — regular season or playoffs, broadcast or cable — since Lakers/Kings Game 7 in ’02.

Despite the strong numbers, Saturday’s Game 7 does not rank particularly well historically. The game drew fewer viewers than the aforementioned Lakers/Kings game, as well as Bucks/Sixers in 2001 (13.5M), Blazers/Lakers in 2000 (19.1M), and, of course, Pacers/Bulls in 1998 (30.5M). All four of those games aired on Sunday nights on broadcast television.

For the week, Game 7 ranked as the most-viewed program on television on broadcast or cable. Adults 18-49 ratings were not immediately available, but the game more than likely topped the week in that measure as well.

15 Most-Viewed NBA Games Ever on Cable Television

#
Date
Game
Round
Net
Viewers (000)
1 Sat., 6/9/12 Celtics/Heat
ECF Gm. 7
 ESPN
13,346
2 Sun., 5/15/11 Heat/Bulls
ECF Gm. 1
 TNT
11,109
T3 Thu., 6/7/12 Heat/Celtics
ECF Gm. 6
 ESPN
11,068
T3 Sun., 6/3/12 Heat/Celtics
ECF Gm. 4
 ESPN
11,068
5 Sun., 5/22/11 Bulls/Heat
ECF Gm. 3
 TNT
10,889
6 Sun., 2/9/03 West/East
All-Star
 TNT
10,829
7 Thu., 5/26/11 Heat/Bulls
ECF Gm. 5
 TNT
10,407
8 Tue., 6/5/12 Celtics/Heat
ECF Gm. 5
 ESPN
10,251
9 Tue., 5/26/09 Cavs/Magic
ECF Gm. 4
 TNT
10,075
10 Wed., 5/18/11 Heat/Bulls
ECF Gm. 2
 TNT
10,036
11 Thu., 5/28/09 Magic/Cavs
ECF Gm. 5
 TNT
9,995
12 Tue., 5/24/11 Bulls/Heat
ECF Gm. 4
 TNT
9,770
13 Mon., 5/25/09 Lakers/Nuggets
WCF Gm. 4
 ESPN
9,731
14 Wed., 6/6/12 Spurs/Thunder
WCF Gm. 6
 TNT
9,498
15 Mon., 5/31/04 Wolves/Lakers
WCF Gm. 6
 TNT
9,438

(Saturday’s viewership from TV By the Numbers)

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  • Wpd45

    If that game was on Sunday night it probably reaches 16M, if it was on ABC instead of ESPN probably 17.5 M

    • Bessilver

      All games are on broadcast television.

    • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/2SXUVOZCVS455CPRNXAXBMH2SE James

      I agree if the game was on ABC on a Sunday night 16-17 million viewers was definitely possible.

      Sometimes I wonder if the Bulls faced the Heat in a Game 7 how high those numbers will be since the Bulls draw really well nationally and is a bigger market than Boston.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/GDEYUQYISOX47HRGQ6O6JMNQAA MG

    I cannot be more amped for Game 1 tonight and I think most NBA fans feel the same way. This is a huge matchup. I can only hope the series goes 6 or 7 games.

  • JakeFrankie

    Sixers/Bucks game 7 BARELY had more viewers, One thing that makes me laugh when people bring up the Lakers/Kings game 7 rating from NBC. The series numbers in the start were Nothing special. As the series went on it started to draw big numbers, Also that 16 they drew was the only 16 they drew in the whole series. Kings/Lakers drew better ratings the 2002 Finals that year Lakers vs Nets.

    You pretty much can’t compare ANY NBA numbers ever to the Jordan years of his dominance. So These numbers rank pretty damn good.

    2012 NBA Finals game 1 prediction – 9.2 (0.2 bigger than last year’s game 1)

  • Rich S.

    I think there’s a mistake in the line, “Overall, Game 7 ranks as the most-viewed NBA game — regular season or
    playoffs, broadcast or cable — since Lakers/Kings Game 7 in ’02.” Surely you mean non-Finals NBA game?

    • Paulsen

      You are correct; thanks for spotting that.