Game 1 of the NBA Finals hit a six-year high in viewership on ABC.
The Lakers’ 102-89 win over the Celtics drew an 8.6/16 final rating and 14.1 million viewers on ABC Thursday night, up 10% in ratings and 8% in viewership from Magic/Lakers Game 1 last year (7.8, 13.0 mil), down 1% and up 6%, respectively, from Lakers/Celtics Game 1 in ’08 (8.7, 13.4 mil), and up 37% and 53%, respectively, from Cavaliers/Spurs Game 1 in ’07 (6.3, 9.2 mil).
Celtics/Lakers stands as the most-viewed Game 1 of the NBA Finals since Pistons/Lakers Game 1 in 2004 (15.4 mil), and only the second Game 1 on ABC to top 14 million viewers.
Additionally, this marks the third-highest rating for a Game 1 on ABC, behind Pistons/Lakers in ’04 (9.8) and Lakers/Celtics in ’08 (8.7).
That said, this is also the second-lowest rating for a Game 1 involving the Lakers since at least ’91, ahead of only last year’s 7.8.
Game 1 drew a 5.7/18 in the key adults 18-49 demographic, up 6% from both last year and 2008 (5.4 in both years), and the highest rating in the demo for Game 1 of the NBA Finals since ’04.
In primetime (8-11 PM), ABC had its best summer Thursday night in total viewers and adults 18-49 since September 8, 2005 — the last time the network aired the NFL Kickoff Game.
Ratings For Game 1 of the NBA Finals Since 1995 (Viewership Since ’01, Adults 18-49 Rating Since ’03)
| Year | Date | Game | # | Net | Rating | Viewers | A18-49 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Thu., 6/3/10 | Celtics/Lakers | 1 | ABC |
8.6
|
14,088
|
5.7
|
| 2009 | Thu., 6/4/09 | Magic/Lakers | 1 | ABC |
7.8
|
13,042
|
5.4
|
| 2008 | Thu., 6/5/08 | Lakers/Celtics | 1 | ABC |
8.7
|
13,384
|
5.4
|
| 2007 | Thu., 6/7/07 | Cavaliers/Spurs | 1 | ABC |
6.3
|
9,206
|
3.7
|
| 2006 | Thu., 6/8/06 | Heat/Mavericks | 1 | ABC |
7.8
|
11,514
|
4.8
|
| 2005 | Thu., 6/9/05 | Pistons/Spurs | 1 | ABC |
7.2
|
10,569
|
4.4
|
| 2004 | Sun., 6/6/04 | Pistons/Lakers | 1 | ABC |
9.8
|
15,360
|
7.0
|
| 2003 | Wed., 6/4/03 | Nets/Spurs | 1 | ABC |
6.4
|
9,604
|
4.0
|
| 2002 | Wed., 6/5/02 | Nets/Lakers | 1 | NBC |
10.6
|
15,850
|
—
|
| 2001 | Wed., 6/6/01 | 76ers/Lakers | 1 | NBC |
12.4
|
18,577
|
—
|
| 2000 | Wed., 6/7/00 | Pacers/Lakers | 1 | NBC |
10.5
|
—
|
—
|
| 1999 | Wed., 6/16/99 | Knicks/Spurs | 1 | NBC |
11.5
|
—
|
—
|
| 1998 | Wed., 6/3/98 | Bulls/Jazz | 1 | NBC |
18.0
|
—
|
—
|
| 1997 | Sun., 6/1/97 | Jazz/Bulls | 1 | NBC |
15.8
|
—
|
—
|
| 1996 | Wed., 6/5/96 | Supersonics/Bulls | 1 | NBC |
16.8
|
—
|
—
|
| 1995 | Wed., 6/7/95 | Rockets/Magic | 1 | NBC |
14.7
|
—
|
—
|
Updated 6/8/2010: Added chart of past Game 1 ratings.
(pifeedback.com, TV By The Numbers)
