It remains the NBA’s strongest finals matchup, but the annual anti-climax that is Warriors-Cavs is providing diminishing returns.
Wednesday’s Warriors-Cavaliers NBA Finals Game 3 earned a 10.4 rating and 17.9 million viewers on ABC, down 8% in ratings and 11% in viewership from last year (11.3, 20.1M) but up 7% and 8% respectively from 2016 (9.7, 16.5M).
Golden State’s win delivered the third-largest Game 3 audience since 2001 (Lakers-Sixers: 20.3M), behind last year and 2015 (Warriors-Cavs: 18.8M). Warriors-Cavs games account for the top four audiences over that span, with the 2016 game ranking fourth. No other Game 4 has exceeded 16.2 million (Lakers-Pistons in 2004 and Lakers-Nets in 2002).
It also scored the fourth-highest Game 3 rating since 2001 (12.7), behind last year, 2015 (11.1) and 2004 (10.5).
Viewership peaked with 21.1 million viewers from 11:15-11:30 PM ET, down 13% from last year’s peak of 24.2 million. Keep in mind the results were almost identical to last year, with Golden State winning a nailbiter to go up 3-0 in the series.
Through three games, Warriors-Cavs is averaging 17.99 million viewers on ABC — down 8% from last year (19.51M) but up 2% from 2016 (17.70M). It ranks as the third-most watched NBA Finals through three games since 2001.
All three games have posted a decline in ratings and viewership. Notably, none of the three has managed to outdraw any game of last year’s finals. Each of last year’s five games had at least a 10.5 rating and 18.7 million viewers.
Game 4 drew a 6.4 rating in adults 18-49, down 11% from last year (7.2) but up 5% from 2016 (6.1). In adults 18-34, it had a 5.6 rating — down 16% from last year (6.7), down a tick from 2016 (5.7) and the lowest Game 3 rating in the demo in 11 years (2007 Spurs-Cavs: 3.5).
Locally, the game had a 33.3 rating in the Bay Area (+2%) and a 33.0 in Cleveland (-7%).
Game 3 NBA Finals Ratings, Viewership
Past decade
