NBA Finals ratings were not especially impressive in 2018, but the numbers were about as strong as one could expect given the sweep.
The four-game Warriors-Cavaliers NBA Finals averaged a 10.0 rating* and 17.7 million viewers on ABC, down 12% in ratings and 14% in viewership from last year’s five game series between the same two teams (11.3, 20.4M), and down 12% and 13% respectively from their seven-game matchup in 2016 (11.4, 20.2M).
This year’s finals ranks as the lowest rated and least-watched since 2014, the last time the event did not pit Golden State against Cleveland (Spurs-Heat: 9.3, 15.5M).
It snapped a streak of three straight years in which the NBA Finals delivered its largest audience since 1998.
Of the 20 NBA Finals since 1998, this year’s series ranks 13th in ratings and eighth in viewership. With that said, it was the third-most watched NBA Finals through four games since 2001, behind last year (19.4M) and the first Warriors-Cavs matchup in 2015 (18.9M).
Compared to previous NBA Finals sweeps, this year’s series increased 61% in ratings and 90% in viewership from Spurs-Cavaliers in 2007 (6.2, 9.3M). That was the lowest rated and least-watched NBA Finals on record. Compared to Lakers-Nets on NBC in 2002, ratings fell 2% (from 10.0) but viewership increased 13% (from 15.7M).
Not a single game of this year’s finals had as high a rating or as large an audience as any of last year’s five games. Last year’s low points were a 10.5 and 18.7 million for Game 1; this year’s highs were 10.4 (Game 3) and 18.5 million (Game 2).
This year’s four games rank among the eight least-watched in the four-year run of Warriors-Cavaliers series (22 telecasts), joining Games 2, 3 and 4 in 2016 and Game 1 in 2015.
Versus other sports, the NBA Finals easily outpaced the NCAA men’s basketball Final Four on Turner Sports (7.7, 14.1M). The lowest rated and least-watched game of the series — Game 4 on Friday night (9.3, 16.2M) — had a higher rating and more viewers than the NCAA national championship (9.2, 16.0M).
Notably, this year marks the first time since 2009 that not a single basketball game — college or pro — attracted at least 19 million viewers.
On the other hand, the NBA Finals was no match for this year’s College Football Playoff, which averaged 26.8 million on ESPN. It also trailed last year’s seven-game World Series on FOX (10.7, 18.9M). The NBA Finals has outdrawn the World Series in eight of the last ten calendar years.
Warriors-Cavs averaged a 6.3 rating in adults 18-49, down 15% from last year (7.4), down 16% from 2016 (7.5) and the lowest average for the finals since 2014 (Spurs-Heat: 6.1). It topped only 2014 and 2009 (Lakers-Magic: 5.9) as the lowest rated finals in the demo since 2007 (Spurs-Cavs: 3.7). The 6.3 still exceeds last year’s World Series (5.1).
The Game 4 ratings breakdown is here. Historical NBA Finals ratings are available here.
Most-Watched NBA Finals Since 1998
[Numbers from ESPN PR/Twitter 6.11]
