The NBA will very likely see double-digit percentage declines for Jazz/Spurs and Cavaliers/Pistons, and there is a strong possibility that the inevitable Spurs/Pistons NBA Finals could set an all new record low average rating for the event.
Even with those grim possibilities, the NBA can bask in the relative glow of a superb week on cable. For the week ending May 20, the NBA drew four large audiences for games on TNT and ESPN, led by the final three games of the Phoenix/San Antonio series. Game 5 of the series drew 5 million viewers on Wednesday (#1 for the week), followed by Game 6 with 4.5 million on Friday (#3 for the week) and Game 4 with 4.3 million on Monday. The deciding game of the Utah/Golden State series drew 4.4 million viewers on Tuesday.
Even with those big numbers, TNT lost the week to USA Network, which was led by WWE wrestling. Despite losing the week, TNT did “win all three demos, delivering 1.36 million adults 18-49, 1.27 million adults 25-54 and 671,000 18-34s. USA took second in the demos, averaging 1.33 million 18-49s, 1.26 million 25-54s and 654,000 18-34s.”
In other ratings news, ESPN drew 3.6 million viewers to its Sunday Night Baseball Yankees/Mets broadcast, while the NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge drew 3.8 million viewers for Speed Channel.
