ESPN scored big numbers for the final game of the Cavaliers/Bulls series.
Game 6 of the Cavaliers/Bulls NBA playoff series drew 6.6 million viewers on ESPN Thursday night, up 24% from Pacers/Wizards last year (5.3M), up 44% from Pacers/Knicks Game 5 on TNT in 2013 (4.6M), and the second-largest audience of the playoffs on any network.
The only game to earn a larger audience was Sunday’s Cavaliers/Bulls Game 4 on ABC (6.9M). The series accounts for four of the five largest audiences this postseason.
The Cavaliers’ blowout win ranks as the most-watched first or second round playoff game on cable since Heat/Bulls Game 3 in 2013 (6.6M). It was also the ninth of 10 Cavaliers playoff games to have an increase in viewership, compared to just 6 of 53 non-Cavaliers games.
In other action Thursday night, Game 6 of Rockets/Clippers drew 5.5 million viewers — down 14% from Thunder/Clippers last year (6.4M) but up 45% from Spurs/Warriors in 2013 (3.8M). The Rockets’ comeback win earned the second-largest non-Cavaliers audience of the playoffs, behind Clippers/Spurs Game 4 on ABC in the first round (6.5M).
Among adults 18-49, Cavaliers/Bulls (2.6) and Rockets/Clippers (2.4) were the highest rated programs on television — topping the night’s top non-sports program, the season finale of the ABC show Scandal (2.3). There were seven season finales on the broadcast networks Thursday, though it should be noted that the night’s usual top performer — CBS’ The Big Bang Theory — was in re-runs. The NBA also generated the top two ratings of the night on Tuesday.
(Thu. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily, with additional info from TV By the Numbers)
