The NBA’s Western Conference Finals could not match last year’s strong start, but still put up solid numbers in the metered markets.
Sunday’s Spurs-Warriors NBA West Finals Game 1 had a 5.6 overnight rating on ABC, down 16% from Thunder-Warriors on TNT last year (6.7) but up 4% from Rockets-Warriors on ESPN in 2015 (5.4), both of which aired on weeknights in primetime.
Compared to last year’s conference final on ESPN/ABC, overnights increased 37% from a 4.1 for Raptors-Cavaliers, which also aired on a weeknight in primetime.
Compared to the same Sunday afternoon slot on ABC, Game 1 posted a 27% increase over Heat-Raptors Game 7 last year (4.4) but fell 3% from Clippers-Rockets Game 7 in 2015 (5.8). It also fell 3% from the last Conference Final Game 1 to air on the network, Heat-Pacers in 2014 (5.8).
The Warriors’ comeback win, which peaked at a 7.7 from 6-6:15 PM ET, delivered the third-highest overnight for Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals since at least 2009 — trailing only Thunder-Warriors last year and Thunder-Spurs in 2012 (5.7). Including Eastern Conference series, it tied for seventh out of the past 15 conference final openers.
Game 1 earned a 24.7 rating in San Antonio and a 17.2 in the Bay Area, the latter down 26% from last year’s Thunder-Warriors opener on TNT (23.4).
(Wknd. numbers from ESPN Media Zone 5.15)
