Depending on the metric, NBA All-Star Game numbers provided evidence of the game’s continued popularity or of its prolonged decline.
The 2017 NBA All-Star Game scored a 4.2 final rating and 7.8 million viewers on TNT and TBS Sunday night, down a tick in ratings but up 2% in viewership from last year (4.3, 7.6M) and down a tick and up 8% respectively from 2015 (4.3, 7.2M).
Sunday’s game, which peaked with 8.5 million viewers in the fast-nationals, ranks as the most-watched NBA All-Star Game since 2013 (8.0M) and the third-most watched in the past 12 years. Keep in mind the previous three editions either took place outside of the country (last year in Toronto) or faced formidable competition (a Saturday Night Live special in 2015 and the Olympics the prior year).
Viewership for the game has now increased in back-to-back years, the first time it has posted consecutive increases since 1995-1996.
On the other hand, the 4.2 rating is the lowest for the All-Star Game since 2010 (3.8) and matches the third-lowest mark in the game’s history. Ratings have either fallen or flattened in four straight years. Ratings also fell in the adults 18-49 demo (from 3.3 to 3.1) and for the postgame encore (from 0.9 and 1.5M to 0.8 and 1.4M).
The NBA All-Star Game now trails only its MLB equivalent (8.7M) as the most-watched All-Star Game in sports, topping this year’s Pro Bowl by 5% (7.8M to 7.4M) — the first time it has outdrawn the NFL game in the same year since 2006 (7.1M to 6.0M). It topped both games in adults 18-49, with its 3.1 rating in the demo 19% higher than the Pro Bowl (2.6) and 41% higher than the MLB All-Star Game (2.2).
Given the annual debate over whether the All-Star Game has declined from a golden age, it is worth pointing out that 20 years ago it had a dramatically higher 11.2 rating and 16.9 million viewers on NBC — and that was down from the previous year. Of course it is also worth pointing out the difference between broadcast and cable, the changes in the television landscape over the past 20 years, and the fact that every other All-Star Game has posted a similarly steep decline over the same stretch. The 1997 MLB All-Star Game had an 11.8 and 16.7 million (compared to a 5.4 and 8.7 million last year) and the same year’s Pro Bowl had a 9.1 rating (compared to a 4.2 this year).
Oklahoma City led all markets Sunday night with a 10.9 rating and the Bay Area tied for second with a 10.3, perhaps no surprise given the chief drama surrounded former teammates Russell Westbrook of the Thunder and Kevin Durant of the Warriors. Cleveland also tied for second, with host market New Orleans (9.2) and Memphis (8.5) rounding out the top five.
(Numbers from Turner Sports, with additional info from ShowBuzz Daily 2.22)
