The final game of the NBA season earned the second-highest overnight for any game since 1998.
Game 7 of the Spurs/Heat NBA Finals drew a 17.7 overnight rating on ABC Thursday night, down 3% from Celtics/Lakers Game 7 in 2010 (18.2), and up 27% from Pistons/Spurs Game 7 in 2005 (13.9). The overnight peaked at a 22.6 from 11:30-11:45 PM ET, compared to a peak of 23.7 for the 2010 game.
The 17.7 overnight is the second-highest for any NBA game since Bulls/Jazz Game 6 in 1998 (22.9), trailing only Celtics/Lakers in 2010. Game 7 is one of only three NBA telecasts since 1998 to draw at least a 17.0 overnight, along with Celtics/Lakers and Pacers/Lakers Game 6 in 2000 (17.3).
Spurs/Heat Game 7 earned the largest overnight for any non-NFL sporting event in 2013, topping the previous high of 15.7 for the Alabama/Notre Dame BCS title game. This marks the first time since 2004 that any NBA game has outdrawn the season’s top college football telecast in the metered markets. In 2010, Celtics/Lakers Game 7 tied the Alabama/Texas BCS title game.
Overall, the 17.7 is the highest overnight for any non-NFL, non-Olympic sporting event in three years — since the previously mentioned Celtics/Lakers Game 7 in 2010. The previous three-year high was a 16.2 overnight for Game 7 of the Rangers/Cardinals World Series in 2011.
Despite the impressive finish, every game of Spurs/Heat had a decline in the overnights. Games 1-5 were down from last year, Game 6 was down from 2011, and Game 7 was down from 2010. Thanks to games six and seven, however, Spurs/Heat ended up averaging a 12.4 overnight rating — up 5% from last year’s five-game series (11.8).
Locally, Game 7 drew a 44.2 rating in Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, the highest ever for an NBA game in the market. The previous high was a 40.3 for last year’s clinching Game 5 between the Heat and Thunder.
In San Antonio, Game 7 drew a 46.4 rating — down 10% from Pistons/Spurs Game 7 in 2005 (51.6), and down 3% from Tuesday’s Game 6 (47.6). Ratings declined for every game of the Spurs/Heat series in San Antonio (Games 1-4 compared to 2007, Games 5-7 compared to 2005).
Overnight Ratings For Game 7 of the NBA Finals
Past two decades
(Thu. overnight from ESPN Media Zone)
