The U.S. Open may have won in prime time, but the NBA won overall.
Game 5 of the NBA Finals drew a stellar 12.1 overnight rating on ABC last night, up 19% from a 10.2 overnight for Mavericks/Heat Game 5 two years ago. The 12.1 overnight is the second highest for any sporting event since the Super Bowl, and is the sixth highest overnight ever for an NBA game on ABC.
Compared to 2004, the last time the Lakers were in the Finals, the 12.1 overnight is down 21% from the 15.4 for Lakers/Pistons Game 5.
Game 5 beat the final round of the U.S. Open by 42%. NBC drew an impressive 8.5 overnight for its final round coverage, which lasted until 9:00 PM ET and featured Tiger Woods forcing a playoff on the 18th hole.
The 8.5 overnight is up 21% from a 7.0 last year, and is the third highest ever for the event. Only the 2000 and 2002 U.S. Opens drew higher overnight ratings; not surprisingly, Woods won both.
The U.S. Open finished only 4% behind The Masters this year, the smallest gap between the two events this decade.
10 highest overnights for NBA on ABC.
15.4: Lakers/Pistons Game 5 (Tue., 6/15/04, 9 PM ABC)
14.4: Lakers/Pistons Game 4 (Sun., 6/13/04, 9 PM ABC)
13.9: Pistons/Spurs Game 7 (Thu., 6/23/05, 9 PM ABC)
12.6: Lakers/Pistons Game 3 (Thu., 6/10/04, 9 PM ABC)
12.3: Pistons/Lakers Game 2 (Tue., 6/8/04, 9 PM ABC)
12.1: Celtics/Lakers Game 5 (Sun., 6/15/08, 9 PM ABC)
11.6: Pistons/Lakers Game 1 (Sun., 6/6/04, 9 PM ABC)
11.1: Heat/Mavericks Game 6 (Tue., 6/20/06, 9 PM ABC)
10.8: Celtics/Lakers Game 3 (Tue., 6/10/08, 9 PM ABC)
10.5: Pistons/Spurs Game 6 (Tue., 6/21/05, 9 PM ABC)
Highest overnight ratings for final round of U.S. Open.
since 2000; asterisk (*) indicates playoff
9.3: 2002, Woods (Sun., 6/16/02, 1:30 PM NBC)
8.8: 2000, Woods (Sun., 6/18/00, 2 PM NBC)
8.5: 2008, Woods/Mediate* (Sun., 6/15/08, 3 PM NBC)
7.0: 2007, Cabrera (Sun., 6/17/07, 1 PM NBC)
7.0: 2001, Brooks/Goosen* (Sun., 6/17/01, 1:30 PM NBC)
