With the lockout-shortened 2011-12 NBA regular season complete, here is a look at viewership for each individual game on ABC, TNT and ESPN.
The 2011-12 season was successful for the four NBA television partners. ABC, TNT, and NBA TV each had their most-viewed regular seasons ever (with the caveat that NBA TV has been a Nielsen-rated network for only two seasons). ESPN was the only network to suffer a decline compared to last year, owing in part to a slew of games in unattractive timeslots, but still had its second-most viewed season.
The most-viewed telecast of the season was Bulls/Lakers on Christmas Day (11.014M), with Heat/Mavericks earlier in the afternoon ranking second (9.023M). Heat/Lakers on March 4 (6.997M), Mavericks/Knicks on February 19 (5.916M), and Celtics/Knicks on Christmas Day (5.860M) rounded out the top five.
Of the 45 most-viewed games this season, 41 involved either the Heat, Lakers or Knicks.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the least-viewed game of the season on ESPN/ABC or TNT was Suns/Timberwolves on April 9 (643K) — a Monday night game on ESPN2 that was added to the schedule after the lockout.
The bottom five also included the March 23 Celtics/Sixers (879K) and Nuggets/Jazz (729K) games on ESPN, the April 14 Suns/Spurs game on ESPN (888K), and Thursday’s Spurs/Warriors game on TNT (869K). With the exception of Spurs/Warriors, each of the five least-viewed games aired in telecast windows that were added after the lockout.
Game-by-Game Viewership For the 2011-12 NBA Regular Season
Ranked top-to-bottom
Excludes games on NBA TV
| # | Date | Time | Away | Home | Net | Viewers (000) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sun., 12/25/11 | 5:00 PM | Bulls | Lakers | ABC |
11,014
|
| 2 | Sun., 12/25/11 | 2:30 PM | Heat | Mavs | ABC |
9,023
|
| 3 | Sun., 3/4/12 | 3:30 PM | Heat | Lakers | ABC |
6,997
|
| 4 | Sun., 2/19/12 | 1:00 PM | Mavs | Knicks | ABC |
5,916
|
| 5 | Sun., 12/25/11 | 12:00 PM | Celtics | Knicks | TNT |
5,860
|
| 6 | Sun., 1/29/12 | 3:30 PM | Bulls | Heat | ABC |
5,699
|
| 7 | Sun., 2/19/12 | 3:30 PM | Magic | Heat | ABC |
5,496
|
| 8 | Sun., 4/22/12 | 3:30 PM | Thunder | Lakers | ABC |
5,095
|
| 9 | Thu., 2/23/12 | 7:00 PM | Knicks | Heat | TNT |
5,092
|
| 10 | Sun., 3/4/12 | 1:00 PM | Knicks | Celtics | ABC |
4,996
|
| 11 | Tue., 12/27/11 | 8:00 PM | Celtics | Heat | TNT |
4,548
|
| 12 | Sun., 4/15/12 | 3:30 PM | Mavs | Lakers | ABC |
4,490
|
| 13 | Thu., 1/19/12 | 8:00 PM | Lakers | Heat | TNT |
4,396
|
| 14 | Sun., 4/1/12 | 3:30 PM | Celtics | Heat | ABC |
4,241
|
| 15 | Sun., 4/15/12 | 1:00 PM | Heat | Knicks | ABC |
4,088
|
| 16 | Sun., 2/12/12 | 3:30 PM | Bulls | Celtics | ABC |
4,069
|
| 17 | Sun., 3/11/12 | 3:30 PM | Celtics | Lakers | ABC |
4,049
|
| 18 | Thu., 4/12/12 | 8:00 PM | Heat | Bulls | TNT |
3,671
|
| 19 | Thu., 2/23/12 | 9:30 PM | Lakers | Thunder | TNT |
3,665
|
| 20 | Sun., 3/25/12 | 8:00 PM | Thunder | Heat | ESPN |
3,517
|
| 21 | Thu., 3/29/12 | 10:30 PM | Thunder | Lakers | TNT |
3,486
|
| 22 | Wed., 1/11/12 | 10:30 PM | Heat | Clippers | ESPN |
3,469
|
| 23 | Sun., 4/8/12 | 1:00 PM | Bulls | Knicks | ABC |
3,447
|
| 24 | Thu., 4/19/12 | 8:00 PM | Bulls | Heat | TNT |
3,417
|
| 25 | Thu., 12/29/11 | 10:30 PM | Knicks | Lakers | TNT |
3,305
|
| 26 | Tue., 12/27/11 | 10:30 PM | Jazz | Lakers | TNT |
3,284
|
| 27 | Wed., 3/14/12 | 9:30 PM | Heat | Bulls | ESPN |
3,224
|
| 28 | Thu., 2/9/12 | 8:00 PM | Lakers | Celtics | TNT |
3,112
|
| 29 | Mon, 1/16/12 | 10:30 PM | Mavs | Lakers | TNT |
3,068
|
| 30 | Thu., 1/5/12 | 8:00 PM | Heat | Hawks | TNT |
3,044
|
| 31 | Mon, 3/12/12 | 8:00 PM | Knicks | Bulls | ESPN |
3,028
|
| 32 | Sun., 12/25/11 | 10:30 PM | Clippers | Warriors | ESPN |
3,007
|
| 33 | Fri., 2/10/12 | 8:00 PM | Lakers | Knicks | ESPN |
3,002
|
| 34 | Wed., 4/4/12 | 8:00 PM | Thunder | Heat | ESPN2 |
2,977
|
| 35 | Sun., 4/1/12 | 1:00 PM | Bulls | Thunder | ABC |
2,869
|
| 36 | Tue., 4/10/12 | 9:30 PM | Knicks | Bulls | ESPN |
2,834
|
| 37 | Thu., 3/29/12 | 8:00 PM | Mavs | Heat | TNT |
2,799
|
| 38 | Thu., 1/5/12 | 10:30 PM | Lakers | Blazers | TNT |
2,772
|
| 39 | Fri., 1/13/12 | 10:30 PM | Heat | Nuggets | ESPN |
2,748
|
| 40 | Tue., 4/17/12 | 8:00 PM | Celtics | Knicks | TNT |
2,716
|
| 41 | Sun., 3/25/12 | 10:30 PM | Grizzlies | Lakers | ESPN |
2,637
|
| 42 | Wed., 2/22/12 | 9:30 PM | Lakers | Mavs | ESPN |
2,569
|
| 43 | Sun., 12/25/11 | 8:00 PM | Magic | Thunder | ESPN |
2,566
|
| 44 | Fri., 2/3/12 | 10:30 PM | Lakers | Nuggets | ESPN |
2,535
|
| 45 | Wed., 3/21/12 | 9:30 PM | Lakers | Mavs | ESPN |
2,520
|
| 46 | Fri., 1/13/12 | 8:00 PM | Bulls | Celtics | ESPN |
2,461
|
| 47 | Wed., 1/11/12 | 8:00 PM | Mavs | Celtics | ESPN |
2,450
|
| 48 | Thu., 12/29/11 | 8:00 PM | Mavs | Thunder | TNT |
2,434
|
| 49 | Thu., 2/16/12 | 8:00 PM | Celtics | Bulls | TNT |
2,429
|
| 50 | Wed., 4/4/12 | 10:30 PM | Lakers | Clippers | ESPN |
2,421
|
| 51 | Tue., 4/10/12 | 7:00 PM | Celtics | Heat | ESPN |
2,405
|
| 52 | Mon, 3/12/12 | 10:30 PM | Celtics | Clippers | ESPN |
2,386
|
| 53 | Mon, 1/16/12 | 8:00 PM | Thunder | Celtics | TNT |
2,362
|
| 54 | Thu., 2/2/12 | 8:00 PM | Bulls | Knicks | TNT |
2,349
|
| 55 | Tue., 4/17/12 | 10:30 PM | Spurs | Lakers | TNT |
2,336
|
| 56 | Fri., 4/20/12 | 9:30 PM | Lakers | Spurs | ESPN |
2,328
|
| 57 | Fri., 1/27/12 | 8:00 PM | Knicks | Heat | ESPN |
2,286
|
| 58 | Sun., 3/4/12 | 7:00 PM | Bulls | Sixers | ESPN |
2,276
|
| 59 | Tue., 4/24/12 | 8:00 PM | Heat | Celtics | TNT |
2,220
|
| 60 | Sun., 2/12/12 | 7:00 PM | Heat | Hawks | ESPN |
2,215
|
| 61 | Fri., 1/20/12 | 10:30 PM | Wolves | Clippers | ESPN |
2,204
|
| 62 | Fri., 2/3/12 | 8:00 PM | Knicks | Celtics | ESPN |
2,195
|
| 63 | Thu., 4/5/12 | 9:30 PM | Celtics | Bulls | TNT |
2,151
|
| 64 | Thu., 3/1/12 | 10:30 PM | Heat | Blazers | TNT |
2,136
|
| 65 | Wed., 1/18/12 | 10:30 PM | Mavs | Clippers | ESPN |
2,125
|
| 66 | Thu., 3/8/12 | 8:00 PM | Magic | Bulls | TNT |
2,098
|
| 67 | Fri., 2/17/12 | 10:30 PM | Suns | Lakers | ESPN |
2,085
|
| 68 | Fri., 2/10/12 | 10:30 PM | Thunder | Jazz | ESPN |
2,068
|
| 69 | Wed., 4/25/12 | 8:00 PM | Clippers | Knicks | ESPN |
2,046
|
| 70 | Wed., 2/1/12 | 10:30 PM | Clippers | Jazz | ESPN |
2,039
|
| 71 | Thu., 3/1/12 | 8:00 PM | Thunder | Magic | TNT |
2,027
|
| 72 | Fri., 1/20/12 | 8:00 PM | Lakers | Magic | ESPN |
1,995
|
| 73 | Thu., 4/19/12 | 10:30 PM | Clippers | Suns | TNT |
1,972
|
| 74 | Thu., 1/19/12 | 10:30 PM | Mavs | Jazz | TNT |
1,965
|
| 75 | Sun., 3/18/12 | 7:00 PM | Magic | Heat | ESPN |
1,949
|
| 76 | Thu., 2/2/12 | 10:30 PM | Nuggets | Clippers | TNT |
1,942
|
| 77 | Sun., 4/22/12 | 1:00 PM | Knicks | Hawks | ESPN |
1,940
|
| 78 | Thu., 2/9/12 | 10:30 PM | Thunder | Kings | TNT |
1,929
|
| 79 | Wed., 3/21/12 | 7:00 PM | Knicks | Sixers | ESPN |
1,921
|
| 80 | Sun., 2/19/12 | 8:00 PM | Nuggets | Thunder | ESPN |
1,892
|
| 81 | Wed., 2/1/12 | 8:00 PM | Thunder | Mavs | ESPN |
1,889
|
| 82 | Sun., 3/4/12 | 9:30 PM | Nuggets | Spurs | ESPN |
1,867
|
| 83 | Fri., 1/6/12 | 8:00 PM | Bulls | Magic | ESPN |
1,794
|
| 84 | Tue., 4/24/12 | 10:30 PM | Suns | Jazz | TNT |
1,758
|
| 85 | Mon., 3/19/12 | 8:00 PM | Bulls | Magic | TNT |
1,748
|
| 86 | Sat., 4/21/12 | 8:00 PM | Mavs | Bulls | ESPN |
1,745
|
| 87 | Thu., 2/16/12 | 10:30 PM | Clippers | Blazers | TNT |
1,732
|
| 88 | Thu., 1/12/12 | 8:00 PM | Knicks | Grizzlies | TNT |
1,716
|
| 89 | Wed., 4/18/12 | 8:00 PM | Magic | Celtics | ESPN |
1,715
|
| 90 | Wed., 4/11/12 | 8:00 PM | Knicks | Bucks | ESPN |
1,684
|
| 91 | Thu., 1/26/12 | 10:30 PM | Grizzlies | Clippers | TNT |
1,680
|
| 92 | Wed., 4/18/12 | 10:30 PM | Lakers | Warriors | ESPN |
1,673
|
| 93 | Wed., 4/25/12 | 10:30 PM | Spurs | Suns | ESPN |
1,651
|
| 94 | Thu., 1/26/12 | 8:00 PM | Celtics | Magic | TNT |
1,632
|
| 95 | Fri., 2/17/12 | 8:00 PM | Mavs | Sixers | ESPN |
1,611
|
| 96 | Fri., 3/30/12 | 10:30 PM | Blazers | Clippers | ESPN |
1,604
|
| 97 | Wed., 2/29/12 | 9:00 PM | Bulls | Spurs | ESPN |
1,601
|
| 98 | Wed., 2/22/12 | 7:00 PM | Celtics | Thunder | ESPN |
1,547
|
| 99 | Mon., 2/20/12 | 8:00 PM | Celtics | Mavs | TNT |
1,525
|
| 100 | Thu., 1/12/12 | 10:30 PM | Magic | Warriors | TNT |
1,469
|
| 101 | Mon., 3/19/12 | 10:30 PM | Mavs | Nuggets | TNT |
1,458
|
| 102 | Mon., 2/20/12 | 10:30 PM | Blazers | Lakers | TNT |
1,457
|
| 103 | Sun., 1/29/12 | 6:30 PM | Spurs | Mavs | ESPN |
1,408
|
| 104 | Thu., 4/5/12 | 7:00 PM | Knicks | Magic | TNT |
1,398
|
| 105 | Wed., 3/28/12 | 7:00 PM | Magic | Knicks | ESPN |
1,382
|
| 106 | Sun., 3/18/12 | 9:30 PM | Blazers | Thunder | ESPN |
1,359
|
| 107 | Thu., 4/12/12 | 10:30 PM | Mavs | Warriors | TNT |
1,358
|
| 108 | Fri., 3/2/12 | 10:30 PM | Clippers | Suns | ESPN |
1,339
|
| 109 | Sun., 2/12/12 | 9:30 PM | Jazz | Grizzlies | ESPN |
1,327
|
| 110 | Wed., 1/18/12 | 8:00 PM | Blazers | Hawks | ESPN |
1,306
|
| 111 | Thu., 3/8/12 | 10:30 PM | Mavs | Suns | TNT |
1,300
|
| 112 | Fri., 1/6/12 | 10:30 PM | Blazers | Suns | ESPN |
1,290
|
| 113 | Wed., 3/14/12 | 7:00 PM | Sixers | Pacers | ESPN |
1,289
|
| 114 | Fri., 3/30/12 | 8:00 PM | Mavericks | Magic | ESPN |
1,248
|
| 115 | Sat., 4/21/12 | 10:30 PM | Magic | Jazz | ESPN |
1,218
|
| 116 | Fri., 4/20/12 | 7:00 PM | Celtics | Hawks | ESPN |
1,199
|
| 117 | Fri., 3/16/12 | 9:30 PM | Spurs | Thunder | ESPN |
1,195
|
| 118 | Fri., 4/13/12 | 8:00 PM | Suns | Rockets | ESPN |
1,149
|
| 119 | Wed., 2/15/12 | 10:00 PM | Blazers | Warriors | ESPN |
1,137
|
| 120 | Wed., 4/11/12 | 10:30 PM | Warriors | Blazers | ESPN |
1,114
|
| 121 | Mon., 2/20/12 | 4:00 PM | Bulls | Hawks | ESPN |
1,113
|
| 122 | Fri., 4/13/12 | 10:30 PM | Mavs | Blazers | ESPN |
1,104
|
| 123 | Fri., 3/2/12 | 8:00 PM | Warriors | Sixers | ESPN |
1,063
|
| 124 | Sat., 4/7/12 | 10:30 PM | Nuggets | Warriors | ESPN |
1,047
|
| 125 | Sat., 4/7/12 | 8:00 PM | Magic | Sixers | ESPN |
1,037
|
| 126 | Sat., 4/21/12 | 5:30 PM | Nuggets | Suns | ESPN |
1,023
|
| 127 | Fri., 3/16/12 | 7:00 PM | Heat | Sixers | ESPN |
1,001
|
| 128 | Thu., 4/26/12 | 8:00 PM | Knicks | Bobcats | TNT |
961
|
| 129 | Mon, 1/16/12 | 1:00 PM | Bulls | Grizzlies | ESPN |
947
|
| 130 | Sat., 4/14/12 | 9:00 PM | Suns | Spurs | ESPN |
888
|
| 131 | Fri., 3/23/12 | 8:00 PM | Celtics | Sixers | ESPN |
879
|
| 132 | Thu., 4/26/12 | 10:30 PM | Spurs | Warriors | TNT |
869
|
| 133 | Fri., 3/23/12 | 10:30 PM | Nuggets | Jazz | ESPN |
729
|
| 134 | Mon., 4/9/12 | 9:00 PM | Suns | Wolves | ESPN2 |
643
|
(Game-by-game viewership via Turner Sports, ESPN, Sports Business Daily, The Futon Critic, Son of The Bronx, TV By the Numbers)
