Ratings for last year’s NBA finalists have gone in opposite directions on ABC.
Game 4 of the Cavaliers/Hawks NBA playoff series had a 3.1 final rating and 5.2 million viewers on ABC last Sunday afternoon, down 30% in ratings and 25% in viewership from Cavaliers/Bulls last year (4.4, 6.9M) and down 18% and 13%, respectively, from Thunder/Clippers in 2014 (3.8, 6.0M).
The Cavaliers’ win was ABC’s least-watched playoff game involving LeBron James since Knicks/Heat Game 1 four years ago (4.8M). Excluding the first round, it was the least-watched since Cavaliers/Hawks Game 3 in 2009 (5.0M).
All four games of the Cavaliers/Hawks series had a double-digit decline from last year’s comparable windows, each of which pitted the Cavaliers against the Bulls.
While the Cavaliers keep trending down, the Warriors continue to deliver. Last Saturday’s Warriors/Blazers Game 3 had a 3.6 and 5.8 million on ABC, up 16% in ratings and 19% in viewership from Warriors/Grizzlies last year (3.1, 4.9M) and up a tick and 5%, respectively, from Heat/Nets in 2014 (3.5, 5.6M).
The Blazers’ lone win of the series was ABC’s highest rated and most-watched Saturday night playoff game since Sixers/Celtics Game 7 in 2012 (4.5, 7.0M).
All four Warriors playoff games on ABC posted double-digit increases in ratings and viewership. Overall, all ten Warriors playoff games have had an increase, with nine up by double-digits.
CORRECTION 5/10/17: Cavaliers/Hawks was, at the time, ABC’s least-watched second round game involving LeBron James since 2009 — not 2007.
(Wknd. numbers via Sports Business Daily)
