ESPN and ABC both scored double-digit increases for coverage of the 2011 NBA Playoffs over the weekend.
Sunday’s Lakers/Mavericks Game 4 earned a 6.5 overnight rating on ABC, up 27% from last year (CLE/BOS G4: 5.1), and up 59% from 2009 (LAL/HOU G4: 4.1). The 6.5 is the second-highest of the postseason for the NBA on ABC, behind only Celtics/Heat Game 1 one week earlier (7.0).
Excluding the NBA Finals, the 6.5 overnight ranks as the eighth-highest for the NBA Playoffs on ABC since the network resumed airing games in 2002.
On Saturday, Game 3 between the Heat and Celtics earned a 5.7 overnight, up 30% from last year (LAL/UTA G3: 4.4), and up 43% from 2009 (CLE/ATL G3: 4.0). The 5.7 is the second-highest ever for a Saturday night playoff game on ABC, behind only Lakers/Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals two years ago (G3: 6.6).
Heat/Celtics topped Saturday night’s NASCAR Southern 500 from Darlington (3.5) by a whopping 63%.
Over on ESPN, the third game of the Thunder/Grizzlies series earned a 2.9 overnight opposite the Kentucky Derby, up 71% from last year’s comparable Magic/Hawks matchup, which did not face such competition.
Final ratings/viewership for Bulls/Hawks Game 3 and Lakers/Mavericks Game 3 on ESPN Friday night are available here. Overnights for Sunday’s Bulls/Hawks Game 4 on TNT are available here.
Highest Overnights, NBA Playoffs on ABC (excludes NBA Finals)
|
#
|
Date
|
Time
|
Game
|
Round, Gm. #
|
Net
|
Rating
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Thu., 5/15/03 | 8:30 PM | SA 110, LAL 82 | Semi, G6 | ABC |
8.0
|
|
2
|
Thu., 5/13/04 | 8:30 PM | LAL 74, SA 73 | Semi, G5 | ABC |
7.2
|
|
3
|
Sun., 5/1/11 | 3:30 PM | BOS 90, MIA 99 | Semi, G1 | ABC |
7.0
|
|
4
|
Sun., 5/11/03 | 3:30 PM | SA 95, LAL 99 | Semi, G4 | ABC |
7.0
|
|
5
|
Sun., 5/18/08 | 3:30 PM | CLE 92, BOS 97 | Semi, G7 | ABC |
6.9
|
|
6
|
Sun., 5/21/06 | 3:30 PM | CLE 61, DET 79 | Semi, G7 | ABC |
6.7
|
|
7
|
Sat., 5/23/09 | 8:30 PM | LAL 103, DEN 97 | WCF, G3 | ABC |
6.6
|
|
8
|
Sun., 5/8/11 | 3:30 PM | LAL 86, DAL 122 | Semi, G4 | ABC |
6.5
|
|
9
|
Sun., 5/4/03 | 3:30 PM | POR 95, DAL 107 | First, G7 | ABC |
6.1
|
|
10
|
Sun., 5/3/04 | 3:30 PM | LAL 78, SA 88 | Semi, G1 | ABC |
6.0
|
(Weekend numbers from usatoday.com)
