Despite lasting just five games, the NBA Finals set a viewership record for a third-straight year.
The five-game Warriors-Cavaliers NBA Finals averaged an 11.3 rating and 20.4 million viewers on ABC, down a tick in ratings but up 1% in viewership from last year’s seven-game finals between the same teams (11.4, 20.2M). Compared to their six-game series in 2015, ratings fell 3% from 11.6 but viewership increased 2% from 19.9 million.
The series was the most-watched NBA Finals since Bulls-Jazz in 1998 (29.0M), the third year in a row that viewership has hit a post-Jordan high. From 2001-2014, the most-watched finals series was Lakers-Sixers in 2001 (19.0M), which now ranks fourth.
It was also the most-watched NBA Finals to last five or fewer games since Bulls-Lakers averaged 23.9 million in 1991 (10 series). The previous high was 20.1 million for the Rockets’ four-game sweep of the Magic in 1995.
Overall, this year’s finals was the 10th-most watched in the past 30 years. Each of the top nine involved either the Michael Jordan-led Bulls or the Magic Johnson-led Lakers. Last year’s finals now ranks 11th and the 2015 series 13th.
The finals averaged a streaming audience of 434,000 on the WatchESPN app, up 20% from last year (363K) and up 110% from 2015 (207K), bringing the total up to 20.8 million — still up 1% from last year (20.5M), still the largest NBA Finals audience since 1998, and narrowly ahead of Bulls-Blazers in 1992 as the ninth-most watched series of the past 20 years (20.840M to 20.838M).
While viewership hit a 19-year-high, the 11.3 rating is tied as just the seventh-highest since 1998 — matching Spurs-Knicks in 1999 and behind last year, 2015, Pistons-Lakers in 2004 (11.6), Lakers-Sixers in ’01 (12.1) and Lakers-Pacers in 2000 (11.6).
The NBA Finals averaged a 7.4 rating in adults 18-49, down a tick from last year (7.5) and down 3% from 2015 (7.6). The 7.4 is the sixth-highest for the NBA Finals since 1998, behind last year, 2015, 2004 (7.9), 2001 (8.6) and 2000 (7.6). Average ratings in adults 18-34 were not immediately available.
Compared to other sports, the NBA Finals trailed last year’s seven-game Cubs-Indians World Series in ratings (13.1) and viewership (23.4M) but came out ahead in adults 18-49 (7.4 to 6.7). It also trailed the three-game College Football Playoff (11.8, 21.7M) but topped the three-game NCAA Final Four (10.7, 18.8M).
[Series avg. from ESPN PR 6.13]
