The NBA’s most-loved star since Michael Jordan against one of the most disliked in league history has been a winning combination in the ratings.
Game 1 of the Cavaliers/Warriors NBA Finals earned a 13.1 overnight rating on ABC Thursday night, up 2% from the same matchup last year (12.9), up 26% from Heat/Spurs in 2014 (10.4), and the highest overnight for Game 1 of the finals in 15 years — since 76ers/Lakers on NBC in 2001 (15.2). The previous high over that span was a 13.0 for Nets/Lakers on NBC in 2002.
Including last year, all seven Cavaliers/Warriors NBA Finals games have hit a multi-year high in the overnights.
The 13.1 is the 12th-highest NBA overnight on ABC since the network resumed airing games in the 2002-03 season, and the sixth-highest when clinching games are excluded. Cavaliers/Warriors games make up fully half of the network’s top 14 in the metered markets.
Cleveland was Thursday’s top market with a 36.0 rating, down 13% from Game 1 last year (41.4) and up just 5% from Cavaliers/Spurs in 2007 (34.3). It had a 32.8 in the Bay Area, up 14% from last year’s 28.9. Secondary markets Sacramento (20.2) and Columbus (18.9) ranked third and fourth, respectively.
Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, no doubt watching for LeBron schadenfreude as Cleveland once did, was the top neutral market with an 18.8. San Antonio was not far behind at an 18.7.
The Warriors’ comfortable win peaked at a 14.8 from 10:45-11 PM ET, below last year’s peak of 15.6. Last year’s game went to overtime.
(Tue. numbers from ESPN Media Zone)
