The second round of the NBA Playoffs stumbled out of the gates on ABC last weekend.
Game 1 of the Wizards/Hawks NBA playoff series drew a 2.1 final rating and 3.0 million viewers on ABC last Sunday, down 32% in ratings and 36% in viewership from Nets/Raptors Game 7 last year (3.1, 4.8M), down 30% and 29%, respectively, from Grizzlies/Thunder Game 1 in 2013 (3.0, 4.3M), and tied as the lowest rated playoff game ever on the network (182 telecasts dating back to 2003).
The 2.1 rating matches Sixers/Pistons Game 1 in 2005 and Bucks/Hawks Game 7 in 2010, both in the first round. The three games are very likely the lowest rated NBA playoff telecasts ever on broadcast television. This is the second time this season the Wizards have tied a record low on ABC; their game against the Rockets in March tied the lowest NBA rating of any kind on broadcast television (1.0).
Sunday’s game also earned the third-smallest audience for a playoff game on ABC, ahead of only Sixers/Pistons (3.0M) and Heat/Bulls Game 1 in 2007 (2.9M).
Later in the day, Grizzlies/Warriors Game 1 drew a 3.0 and 4.7 million viewers — down 29% in ratings and 27% in viewership from Mavericks/Spurs Game 7 last year (4.2, 6.5M) and down 23% and 21%, respectively, from Pacers/Knicks Game 1 in 2013 (3.9, 6.0M).
The Warriors’ win ranks as the lowest rated late Sunday afternoon playoff game on ABC since Pistons/Bulls Game 4 in 2007 (2.8), and the least-watched since Mavericks/Nuggets Game 1 in 2009 (4.73M to 4.69M).
(Sun. numbers via Sports Business Daily)
