The NBA Finals drew below average numbers in both Seattle and Oklahoma City.
The seven-game Celtics/Lakers series averaged an 8.3 rating in Oklahoma City and an 8.0 in Seattle, both well below the national average of 10.6. Oklahoma City ranked 46th for the series, and Seattle ranked 48th.
The NBA Finals drew significantly more households in Seattle than Oklahoma City (approximately 140,000 to 58,000), owing to the disparity in size between the two markets.
Celtics/Lakers was the second NBA Finals since the departure of the Supersonics from Seattle to Oklahoma City.
Below average numbers are nothing new for the NBA Finals in Seattle, even dating back to the days when the Sonics were in town.
Heat/Mavericks averaged a 7.2 in the market in 2006 (below the national average of 8.5), Spurs/Pistons averaged a 7.0 in 2005 (below the national average of 8.2) and Pistons/Lakers averaged a 9.7 in 2004 (below the national average of 11.5).
In each of those three years, the NBA Finals drew higher ratings in Oklahoma City than Seattle — even in 2004 and 2005, when there was no NBA franchise in the market. In two of those three years, the ratings were below the national average.
Ratings for the 2009, 2008 and 2007 NBA Finals in Seattle and Oklahoma City were not available.
(ESPN)
