It hit a four-year low, but Rockets-Thunder still generated strong numbers for ABC.
Sunday’s Rockets-Thunder NBA Playoffs Game 4 delivered a 3.9 final rating and 6.4 million viewers on ABC, down 13% in ratings and 12% in viewership from Warriors-Rockets last year (4.5, 7.2M) and down 5% and 2% respectively from Clippers-Spurs in 2015 (4.1, 6.5M).
Despite the lower numbers — the lowest in the window on that weekend since 2013 — Houston’s win was the weekend’s top sporting event on any network and the day’s top program in adults 18-49. Its 2.3 rating in the demo ranks as the highest of the playoffs thus far and nearly doubled the top non-NBA programs, Little Big Shots on NBC and The Real Housewives on Bravo (1.3 each).
Earlier in the day, Cavaliers-Pacers Game 4 had a 2.9 and 4.5 million — up 26% in ratings and 28% in viewership from Spurs-Grizzlies last year (2.3, 3.5M) but down 9% in both measures from Cavaliers-Celtics in 2015 (3.2, 4.9M).
Compared to Cavaliers-Pistons Game 4 last year, which aired in primetime on TNT, ratings increased a tick (from 2.8 to 2.9) but viewership actually slipped a fraction of a percent (from 4.484M to 4.475M).
The game had a 1.6 rating in adults 18-49, tying for third for the day. The NBA took the top four spots in the demo.
(Wknd. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily 4.25)
