LeBron, Cleveland's Game 7 Triumph Tops 30 Million Viewers

For the first time in 18 years, more than 30 million viewers tuned into an NBA game.

Game 7 of the Cavaliers/Warriors NBA Finals earned a 15.8 final rating and 31.0 million viewers on ABC Sunday night, up 3% in ratings and 18% in viewership from Spurs/Heat in 2013 (15.3, 26.3M) and up 1% and 10%, respectively, from Celtics/Lakers in 2010 (15.6, 28.2M). Figures do not include WatchESPN (598K) or ESPN Deportes.

The Cavaliers’ championship-clinching win, which peaked at a 22.5 and 44.5 million in the fast-nationals, ranks as the most-watched basketball game (college or pro) since Bulls/Jazz Game 6 in 1998 (22.3, 35.9M). It earned the second-highest rating over that span, behind last year’s Duke/Wisconsin NCAA Tournament national championship (16.0).

Going back further, Sunday’s game ranks as the third-most watched NBA game dating back to 1993 — behind only Bulls/Jazz Game 6 in ’98 and Bulls/Suns Game 6 in 1993 (32.1M). It also earned the top audience for Game 7 of the NBA Finals since at least Pistons/Lakers in 1988 (six telecasts over that span).

Outside of the NFL and the Olympic Games, Sunday’s game delivered the top audience for any sporting event this year, marking the first time since 2002 that an NBA game has outdrawn college football’s national championship (15.0, 26.2M). It was the most-watched television program of any kind since the Academy Awards in February (34.3M).

Again excluding the NFL and the Olympics, Game 7 ranks as the fifth-most watched sporting event since 1998 and the only basketball game in the top ten. Four of the ten largest audiences have involved an Ohio team, the other three featuring Ohio State. Game 7 scored more viewers than every Major League Baseball game since Red Sox/Yankees Game 7 in the 2004 ALCS (31.5M), every college basketball game since the Arkansas/Duke national championship in 1994 (32.7M), and the most-watched soccer match in U.S. TV history — last year’s United States/Japan Women’s World Cup final (26.7M).

Among adults 18-49, Game 7 delivered an 11.3 rating — up 7% from 2013 (10.6) but down a tick from 2010 (11.4). The 11.3 is television’s highest rating in the demo since the Super Bowl, topping the Academy Awards (10.5). It drew a 10.8 rating in adults 18-34, up 3% from 2013 (10.5) but down 9% from 2010 (11.8).

MOST-WATCHED SPORTSCASTS SINCE 1998 Excluding the NFL and the Olympics Asterisk (*) indicates ESPN Megacast
#	Year	Game	Net	Rtg.	Vwrs.
1	2001	Yankees/D’Backs World Series Game 7	FOX	23.5	39.08M
2	2006	Texas/USC Rose Bowl	ABC	21.7	35.63M
3	2015	Ohio State/Oregon CFP Nat’l Champ.	ESPN*	18.6	34.15M
4	2004	Red Sox/Yankees ALCS Game 7	FOX	19.4	31.46M
5	2016	Cavaliers/Warriors NBA Finals Game 7	ABC	15.8	31.02M
6	2002	Giants/Angels World Series Game 7	FOX	17.9	30.81M
7	2010	Alabama/Texas BCS Nat’l Champ.	ABC	17.2	30.78M
8	2003	Ohio State/Miami Fiesta Bowl	ABC	17.2	29.10M
9	2004	Red Sox/Cardinals World Series Game 4	FOX	18.2	28.84M
10	2007	Florida/Ohio State BCS Nat’l Champ.	FOX	17.4	28.80M

UPDATE 6/21/16: Post updated with final nationals.
(Sun. numbers from ESPN, with additional info from ABC via The Futon Critic)

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Comments 19

Rich S. says:

10 years ago

Final numbers adjusted even higher: 31.02 million viewers.
ESL says:

10 years ago

If Cubs make World Series this year, do you think they would reach 30 million? I think there is a chance to it that mark for the clinching game.
- Ricardo says:
  
  10 years ago
  
  It would be great and unprecedented for everyone. Cubs in the World Series goes beyond of the baseball. Depending on the hype and rival, Perhaps even 30M series would be around average, not really know. As Paulsen Said, it is a sleeping giant for the ratings.
  
  And to be fair, under the same context of These Game 7 of the NBA Finals Between the two best teams in the league, with the two top stars as Protagonists, They played on a Sunday.
  
  A Game 7 With the Cubs Would Have Certainly better numbers, Perhaps With The Arizona Diamondbacks tied-2001 and even higher if the matchup is With the Red Sox or Yankees. Would be a classic of all ages, no one would want to miss that.
  
  Or in the worst case, ratings like the 2004 World Series Where Boston broke the curse of the bambino.
  
  I hope that moment a lot.
- Montreal Royals says:
  
  10 years ago
  
  Without a doubt and it would probably get a 20.0 rating which MLB has not done since 2001 Game 7 NYY-AZ or a 20.0 rating in a series since 1992 TOR-ATL
jerrytsao says:

10 years ago

Also find it’s interesting is that Father’s Day Sunday resembled in similar fashion of HUT level as thanksgiving:

Game 1 to Game 6: 55.50, 57.65, 53.89, 51.58, 56.19, 53.64
Game 7: 15.7/~31 share=50.65 HUT
Bears/Packers on Thanksgiving: 13.8/28 share=49.29 HUT

Apparently more people watched the game together and fewer TVs were on use.
jerrytsao says:

10 years ago

11.2 demo according to TVbtN.
- Paulsen says:
  
  10 years ago
  
  Thanks. Just updated with the demo numbers.
Tati says:

10 years ago

MJ is stil undefeated.
- jerrytsao says:
  
  10 years ago
  
  Indeed, a hypothetical 1998 Gam7 would draw average 50 million viewers.
jerrytsao says:

10 years ago

I’m literally shocked by that 22.5/44.51 million peak: Three 3 NFL wildcard games this year peaked at 27.84M, 36.30M & 43.90M each, three divisional game peaked at 38.70M, 43.00M, 49.10M, and AFC/NFC championship game peaked at 62.90M & 49.90M, 44.5 million is just too strong, I think NBA can attract huge audience during last 5 minutes more than any sports could.
Hello Larry says:

10 years ago

Talk about surprising here, I thought it would finish under 30 million like in the 29-30 million area somewhere and just fall short but it almost got to 31 million. Great accomplishment as it took 14 years for ABC to get an NBA game over 30 million viewers. The more amazing stat here is the 44.5 million who watched the peak period of the game that’s a really sick number there especially now in days for any entertainment entity on television besides the NFL and Olympics. This is literally the closest the NBA has come to that Jordan game 6 of the Finals on June 14, 1998 to seal the Bulls last championship of that era.

Holy crap what was the peak of that Bulls-Jazz game in ’98? I heard it got over 50 million.

This just goes to show you that curses and long sports droughts are really good for sports and the NBA whether you think it’s rigged or too storyline driven or not it works for the league and LeBron James has come full circle since that 2007 NBA Finals where nobody was ready to accept him in their homes like that just yet at that point of his career.

The next big two curses in sports has to be the Chicago Cubs of MLB and Detroit Lions of the NFL, I still think the Cleveland Browns are another huge curse that has to be broken. If the Cubs get to a clinching game I think that game reaches a peak of 60-70 million viewers. A Lions and Browns Super Bowl can draw 125 million if the media plays up the curse story well enough heading into that SB.

Also back to the Olympics I’m interested in seeing what this year’s version does since a lot of the primetime coverage will be live this year since Rio is only one hour ahead of the east timezone. It’ll be the first live Olympics since the 1996 games so we might see a number of Olympic telecasts surpass the NBA Finals this year as the most watched sporting event or television event period outside of the NFL. The Olympics should easily hit 35-45 million viewers quite a few times this year.
Ricardo says:

10 years ago

Confirmed: 2004 game 4 World Series made 18.2 rating and 28.84M, you should be in the top 10.
- Paulsen says:
  
  10 years ago
  
  Thanks for catching that oversight. I’ve added it to the list.
  - Ricardo says:
    
    10 years ago
    
    By the way, if you do not mind, I would like to know the peak audience of Game 7 of 2001 between Yankees-Dbacks. Has it?
    - Paulsen says:
      
      10 years ago
      
      Don’t have that information, unfortunately.
    - Ricardo says:
      
      10 years ago
      
      Thanks equally.
ESL says:

10 years ago

Looking at these numbers, it is remarkable to see how much baseball has dropped in viewership in the last 15 years. There have been 2 game World Series in the last 5 years, and neither came close to making this list. ( I believe the 2011 Series came closest.. over 25 million for game 7 of the Rangers-Cardinals).
- Ricardo says:
  
  10 years ago
  
  That game is played on a Friday, possibly if that game is played out on a Sunday, was made Several million more. I still remember how extraordinary it was That Game 6.
  
  I have my doubts that if this Game 7 between Cavs and GSW is played out any other day of the week, would have more viewers than the Celtics-Lakers 2010.
- Ricardo says:
  
  10 years ago
  
  Well before this game, throughout this century the NBA had not gotten any game reached 30M, if you see that list, you will see that there are 3 baseball games ahead (including the upper Yankees-Diamondbacks) and 4 games in the top 10.