Saturday night is a dead zone for a reason.
ABC averaged a mere 4.3 million viewers in prime time for its coverage of Celtics/Pistons Game 3, according to preliminary numbers. That includes the half-hour NBA Countdown pregame show. ABC finished second for the night behind CBS.
For only one half hour — 9:00 PM to 9:30 PM — was Celtics/Pistons Game 3 the most watched program on broadcast. The rest of the night saw programs like Vinegar Hill, COPS and 48 Hours Mystery take the top spot. The game peaked from 10:00 PM – 10:30 PM, drawing 5.1 million viewers.
ABC did win the night among adults 18-49, drawing a 1.6/6 in the demographic.
The poor performance of Celtics/Pistons Game 3 comes in stark contrast to Games 1 and 2, which drew decent numbers on ESPN. Game 1 on Tuesday night drew 5.4 million viewers, while Game 2 on Thursday drew 5.7 million. Despite airing on a broadcast network, Game 3 will likely finish with a much smaller audience.
In the past, ABC aired its lone Conference Final game on Memorial Day. In 2005, Suns/Spurs Game 4 drew a solid 7.1 million viewers, and in 2006, Pistons/Heat Game 4 drew 8.2 million. Since ABC began airing its Conference Final game on the Saturday night before Memorial Day, neither game (Spurs/Jazz Game 3 last year and Celtics/Pistons Game 3 last night) has drawn 5 million viewers.
If the NBA and ESPN are smart, ABC will get the Memorial Day game next season.
