The NBA continues to draw impressive numbers on ESPN.
Game 4 of the Lakers/Nuggets West Final drew a 5.9 U.S. rating (6.9 cable) and a whopping 9.9 million viewers on ESPN Monday night, up 48% in ratings and 62% in viewers from a 4.0 (4.6 cable) and 6 million for Celtics/Pistons in the same timeslot last year.
Lakers/Nuggets Game 4 finishes as the most-viewed NBA Playoff game ever on cable, and the most-viewed basketball game (college or pro) in the history of ESPN. This is the fourth time during the playoffs that ESPN has set a record for its most-viewed basketball game.
Game 4 was the most-viewed program of Monday night on broadcast or cable, even topping the 9.8 million viewers for an episode of John and Kate Plus 8 on TLC that aired the same night.
In Denver, Game 4 drew a 21.3 rating, once again breaking the record as the highest rated NBA game ever on ESPN/ABC in the market. In Los Angeles, the game drew a 16.1, the highest rated NBA Playoff game on ESPN in the market.
Through seven games, the 2009 NBA Conference Finals has averaged a 5.1 rating and approximately 8.3 million viewers on ESPN, TNT and ABC, up 34% in ratings and 44% in viewers from a 3.8 and 5.7 million through the same point last year.
To put the numbers in perspective, the first seven games of the 2009 NBA Conference Finals have outdrawn the first seven games of the 2008 MLB League Championship Series by 18% in ratings and 26% in viewers. Keep in mind that four of the first seven MLB LCS telecasts aired on broadcast, compared to only one game on broadcast for the NBA Conference Finals.
Additionally, ESPN is beginning to draw even better numbers than NBC did in its final year televising the NBA. The 9.9 million viewers for Lakers/Nuggets Game 4 tops the 9.7 million for Kings/Lakers Game 4 in ’02 — in which Robert Horry hit a game-winning three at the buzzer.
So far this postseason, ESPN has averaged a 2.9 U.S. rating (3.4 cable) and 4.4 million viewers, up 12% in ratings and 16% in viewers from a 2.6 (3.1 cable) and 3.8 million last year. Keep in mind that last year’s postseason ranked as the most-viewed ever on ESPN.
Source: Multichannel News
