Viewership for the NBA Playoffs continued to decline on ESPN Friday.
Game 3 of the Clippers/Spurs NBA playoff series drew 3.4 million viewers on ESPN Friday night, down 6% from Rockets/Blazers last year (3.6M) but up 18% from Spurs/Lakers in 2013 (2.9M). The comparable games both last year and in 2013 aired in later timeslots.
The first three games of the Clippers/Spurs series, the closest and most discussed of the first round, each had year-over-year declines in viewership. Sunday’s Game 4 was flat in the metered markets, earning a 5.0 overnight on ABC.
Rockets/Mavericks Game 3 drew 2.5 million viewers earlier in the night, down 11% from Bulls/Wizards last year (2.8M) and down 15% from Knicks/Celtics in 2013 (2.9M).
Over on ESPN2, Raptors/Wizards Game 3 drew 597,000 — down 53% from Raptors/Nets last year (1.3M) and down 57% from Nuggets/Warriors in a later timeslot last year (1.4M). The Wizards’ win ranks as the least-watched playoff game on any network, excluding NBA TV, since at least 2009.
Through Friday, 17 of the 22 NBA playoff games have had declines in viewership.
(Fri. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily)
