After twelve straight years of declines on broadcast, the NBA has seen its ratings on ABC rise for the second straight season.
NBA telecasts on ABC averaged a 2.3 rating and 3.68 million viewers during the 2008-09 season, up 5% and 16% respectively from a 2.2 and 3.18 million last season. The 2.3 rating is tied as the highest for the NBA on ABC since the 2003-04 season, and the 3.68 million viewers is the most since the 2002-03 season.
This marks the second straight year NBA ratings have increased on broadcast. Over the past two seasons, ABC has seen its NBA ratings and viewership grow by 15% and 28%, respectively.
Compared to other sports, the 2.3 average for the NBA on ABC is 15% higher than the 2.0 for MLB on FOX during the 2008 season, 77% higher than the 1.3 for regular season college basketball on CBS, and 130% higher than the 1.0 for the NHL on NBC. On the flip side, the 2.3 is 61% lower than the 5.7 NASCAR races have averaged on FOX thus far this season.
Despite the increase in ratings, ABC enters the NBA playoffs with very little momentum. From March 8 to the end of the season, NBA games averaged a 1.7 rating on ABC, down 6% from a 1.8 during the same period last year. Six of the network’s final eight games saw declines in ratings.
Last Sunday’s Mavericks/Hornets and Celtics/Cavaliers doubleheader averaged a mere 1.8 rating on ABC, down 10% from a 2.0 for last year’s comparable Raptors/Pistons and Spurs/Lakers games. Mavericks/Hornets drew a 1.5, down 6%, and Celtics/Cavaliers drew a 2.0, down 17%.
Much of the increase in ratings this year can be attributed to a very strong first half of the season. From Christmas Day to March 1, ABC averaged a 2.8 rating for NBA games, up 17% from a 2.4 during the same period in ’08. During that span, three games drew at least a 3.0 rating, including a 3.8 for Lakers/Cavaliers in February — the highest rating for a non-Christmas regular season game since 2002.
NBA ratings on ABC during the 2008-09 season.
| Date | Time | Game | Net | Rating | vs. ’08 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu., 12/25/08 | 2:30 PM | Spurs/Suns | ABC |
3.2
|
3%
|
| Thu., 12/25/08 | 5:00 PM | Celtics/Lakers | ABC |
5.3
|
51%
|
| Sun., 1/25/09 | 1:00 PM | Mavericks/Celtics | ABC |
1.7
|
-6%
|
| Sun., 1/25/09 | 3:30 PM | Spurs/Lakers | ABC |
2.8
|
0%
|
| Sun., 2/1/09 | 2:30 PM | Cavaliers/Pistons | ABC |
1.8
|
13%
|
| Sun., 2/8/09 | 1:00 PM | Spurs/Celtics | ABC |
2.4
|
4%
|
| Sun., 2/8/09 | 3:30 PM | Lakers/Cavaliers | ABC |
3.8
|
46%
|
| Sun., 2/22/09 | 2:30 PM | Celtics/Suns | ABC |
2.1
|
11%
|
| Sun., 3/1/09 | 1:00 PM | Pistons/Celtics | ABC |
2.2
|
5%
|
| Sun., 3/1/09 | 3:30 PM | Lakers/Suns | ABC |
3.1
|
3%
|
| Sun., 3/8/09 | 3:30 PM | Suns/Spurs | ABC |
1.6
|
-24%
|
| Sun., 3/15/09 | 3:30 PM | Mavericks/Lakers | ABC |
2.0
|
-20%
|
| Sun., 3/22/09 | 1:00 PM | Heat/Pistons | ABC |
1.2
|
-13%
|
| Sun., 3/29/09 | 1:00 PM | Mavericks/Cavaliers | ABC |
1.6
|
23%
|
| Sun., 4/5/09 | 1:00 PM | Spurs/Cavaliers | ABC |
1.9
|
36%
|
| Sun., 4/5/09 | 3:30 PM | Suns/Mavericks | ABC |
1.9
|
-14%
|
| Sun., 4/12/09 | 1:00 PM | Mavericks/Hornets | ABC |
1.5
|
-6%
|
| Sun., 4/12/09 | 3:30 PM | Celtics/Cavaliers | ABC |
2.0
|
-17%
|
|
Average rating
|
2.3
|
5%
|
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