Boosted by the Eastern Conference Finals, ESPN had the most-viewed NBA Playoffs ever on cable television.
Coverage of the 2012 NBA Playoffs averaged a 3.9 U.S. rating and 6.228 million viewers on ESPN*, up 26% in ratings and 25% in viewership from last year (3.1, 4.975M), and up 35% in both measures from 2010 (2.9, 4.596M).
This marks the highest rated and most-viewed NBA Playoffs ever on a single cable network, topping the previous high of 3.5 and 5.534 million for last year’s playoffs on TNT.
ESPN averaged the highest rating of any NBA broadcaster during the postseason, topping both ABC (3.7, 5.616M) and TNT (3.1, 4.812M). This marks the first time since ESPN acquired NBA rights in 2002 that the network outperformed TNT during the playoffs.
ESPN has one key advantage — the network televises roughly half as many games as TNT. As a result, highly rated conference final telecasts make up a larger percentage of ESPN’s average. For example, the Heat/Celtics series accounted for a third of ESPN’s telecasts, while last year’s Heat/Bulls series accounted for just one eighth of TNT’s telecasts.
The seven-game Celtics/Heat Eastern Conference Finals averaged a 6.2 U.S. rating and 10.144 million viewers, up 44% in ratings and 46% in viewership from Mavericks/Thunder last year (4.3, 6.939M), and up 38% and 42%, respectively, from the network’s five-game coverage of Celtics/Magic in 2010 (4.5, 7.134M).
Celtics/Heat is tied as the highest rated NBA Conference Final ever on cable, and ranks as the second-most viewed. Last year’s Heat/Bulls Eastern Conference Finals on TNT averaged a 6.2 and 10.413 million viewers. The series included three of the four most-viewed NBA games ever on cable (more details here).
Average ratings/Viewership For NBA Playoffs on ESPN
Dating back to 2006
^ ESPN aired five of the six games of Celtics/Magic in 2010, Lakers/Nuggets in 2009, Celtics/Pistons in 2008, and Heat/Pistons in 2006. The network aired three of the five games of Spurs/Jazz in 2007. All other games aired on ABC.
|
Year
|
Net |
Playoffs Overall
|
Conference Finals
|
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
TCs
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
Series
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
||
| 2012 | ESPN |
21
|
3.9
|
6,228
|
Heat-Celtics |
6.2
|
10,144
|
| 2011 | ESPN |
18
|
3.1
|
4,975
|
Mavs-Thunder |
4.3
|
6,939
|
| 2010 | ESPN |
19
|
2.9
|
4,596
|
Celtics-Magic |
4.5
|
7,134
|
| 2009 | ESPN |
19
|
3.1
|
4,892
|
Lakers-Nuggets |
5.3
|
8,712
|
| 2008 | ESPN |
21
|
2.8
|
4,100
|
Celtics-Pistons |
4.0
|
6,033
|
| 2007 | ESPN |
17
|
2.0
|
2,843
|
Spurs-Jazz |
2.7
|
4,007
|
| 2006 | ESPN |
20
|
2.7
|
3,882
|
Heat-Pistons |
3.9
|
5,797
|
* ESPN average does not include coverage on ESPN2. The lone playoff game on ESPN2 this season (Bulls/Sixers Game 3 in the first round) drew 1.069 million viewers.
(This year’s averages from ESPN Media Zone)
