For the third straight game, overnight ratings declined by 4% for the Heat/Mavericks NBA Finals.
Tuesday’s Game 4 between the Heat and Mavericks drew an 11.1 overnight rating on ABC, down 4% from last year (LAL/BOS G4: 11.6), and up only 2% from 2009 (LAL/ORL G4: 10.9).
The 11.1 overnight is the second-highest for Game 4 of the NBA Finals since 2004 (LAL/DET G4: 14.4), and the highest for Game 4 of a non-Lakers NBA Finals since 1999 (SA/NY G4: 12.5).
For some perspective, Mavericks/Heat Game 4 in 2006 drew a 9.1 overnight. Spurs/Cavaliers Game 4 (LeBron James‘ fourth NBA Finals game) drew a 7.8.
Since the current scheduling format began in 2004, final ratings for Game 4 of the NBA Finals have declined between 12% and 17% from the overnight, putting Tuesday’s game on pace to finish in the 9.2-9.9 range.
Game 4 drew a 34.2 rating in Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, up 6% from Game 3 (32.3), and up 19% from Game 4 of the 2006 finals (28.7*).
The game drew a 30.5 in Dallas-Ft. Worth, up 14% from Game 3 (26.7), but down 2% from Game 4 in 2006 (31.0) — a game in which the Mavericks were blown out. Tuesday’s game also drew a lower local rating than Game 4 of the 2010 Giants/Rangers World Series (31.5).
Every single game of this series has drawn a lower local rating in Dallas than the corresponding game of the 2006 Heat/Mavericks NBA Finals and the 2010 Giants/Rangers World Series.
Overnight Ratings For Game 4 of the NBA Finals
Dating back to 2001
* A 2006 Dallas Morning News article had Game 4 of that year’s NBA Finals drawing a 29.1 rating in Miami-Ft. Lauderdale. Tuesday’s ESPN press release, however, had that game drawing a 28.7 in the market.
(Numbers from espnmediazone3.com)
