Despite airing on the lowest rated night of the week, Game 7 of the Celtics/Heat series earned record numbers on ESPN.
Game 7 of the Celtics/Heat NBA Eastern Conference Finals drew 13.346 million viewers on ESPN Saturday night, up 31% from Pistons/Heat Game 7 on a Monday night in 2005 (9.149M, TNT), but down 44% from Lakers/Kings Game 7 on a Sunday night in 2002 (23.796M, NBC).
Game 7 ranks as the most-viewed NBA game ever on cable television, topping the previous high of 11.109 million for Heat/Bulls Game 1 last year.
The Heat/Celtics series accounts for three of the four most-viewed NBA games ever on cable, and four of the top ten. LeBron James has now played in eleven of the twelve most-viewed NBA games ever on cable, including the top five.
The 28 most-viewed NBA games on cable have taken place since the current television deal went into effect in 2002. Prior to the cable-heavy 2002 deal, the most-viewed game on cable was Game 2 of the Magic/Bulls Eastern Conference Finals on TNT in 1996 (8.185M), which now ranks 29th.
For some perspective, the most-viewed Major League Baseball game ever on cable (Game 7 of the 2008 Red Sox/Rays ALCS on TBS) drew a slighty larger audience (13.397M). That game had the benefit of airing on a Sunday night, but also faced NFL competition on NBC.
Excluding the NBA Finals, Game 7 ranks as the most-viewed NBA game — regular season or playoffs, broadcast or cable — since Lakers/Kings Game 7 in ’02.
Despite the strong numbers, Saturday’s Game 7 does not rank particularly well historically. The game drew fewer viewers than the aforementioned Lakers/Kings game, as well as Bucks/Sixers in 2001 (13.5M), Blazers/Lakers in 2000 (19.1M), and, of course, Pacers/Bulls in 1998 (30.5M). All four of those games aired on Sunday nights on broadcast television.
For the week, Game 7 ranked as the most-viewed program on television on broadcast or cable. Adults 18-49 ratings were not immediately available, but the game more than likely topped the week in that measure as well.
15 Most-Viewed NBA Games Ever on Cable Television
|
#
|
Date
|
Game
|
Round
|
Net
|
Viewers (000)
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sat., 6/9/12 | Celtics/Heat |
ECF Gm. 7
|
ESPN |
13,346
|
| 2 | Sun., 5/15/11 | Heat/Bulls |
ECF Gm. 1
|
TNT |
11,109
|
| T3 | Thu., 6/7/12 | Heat/Celtics |
ECF Gm. 6
|
ESPN |
11,068
|
| T3 | Sun., 6/3/12 | Heat/Celtics |
ECF Gm. 4
|
ESPN |
11,068
|
| 5 | Sun., 5/22/11 | Bulls/Heat |
ECF Gm. 3
|
TNT |
10,889
|
| 6 | Sun., 2/9/03 | West/East |
All-Star
|
TNT |
10,829
|
| 7 | Thu., 5/26/11 | Heat/Bulls |
ECF Gm. 5
|
TNT |
10,407
|
| 8 | Tue., 6/5/12 | Celtics/Heat |
ECF Gm. 5
|
ESPN |
10,251
|
| 9 | Tue., 5/26/09 | Cavs/Magic |
ECF Gm. 4
|
TNT |
10,075
|
| 10 | Wed., 5/18/11 | Heat/Bulls |
ECF Gm. 2
|
TNT |
10,036
|
| 11 | Thu., 5/28/09 | Magic/Cavs |
ECF Gm. 5
|
TNT |
9,995
|
| 12 | Tue., 5/24/11 | Bulls/Heat |
ECF Gm. 4
|
TNT |
9,770
|
| 13 | Mon., 5/25/09 | Lakers/Nuggets |
WCF Gm. 4
|
ESPN |
9,731
|
| 14 | Wed., 6/6/12 | Spurs/Thunder |
WCF Gm. 6
|
TNT |
9,498
|
| 15 | Mon., 5/31/04 | Wolves/Lakers |
WCF Gm. 6
|
TNT |
9,438
|
(Saturday’s viewership from TV By the Numbers)
