The NBA Finals ended with another solid performance in the ratings.
Despite a lopsided 131-92 score, Game 6 of the NBA Finals drew a strong 10.7/19 rating and 16.9 million viewers on ABC Tuesday night, up 6% and 7% from a 10.1 with 15.7 million viewers for Heat/Mavericks Game 6 in 2006.
While Game 6 is the highest rated game of the series, it is only the second-most watched, behind Game 5 on Sunday. Compared to Game 5, Game 6 was up 6% in ratings, but down 3% in total viewers.
Among adults 18-49, Game 6 drew a 6.9/20, up 6% from 2006, but down 4% from Game 5 on Sunday. For the series, ABC averaged a 6.1 rating among adults 18-49, up 65% from a 3.7 for Cavaliers/Spurs last year, and ahead of a 5.6 average for the 2007 World Series on FOX.
Overall, the six-game Lakers/Celtics series averaged a 9.3 rating with 14.9 million viewers, up 50% and 61% from a 6.2 with 9.3 million viewers for last year’s Spurs/Cavaliers series, and the second best numbers for an NBA Finals on ABC.
Compared to 2004, the last time the Lakers were in the NBA Finals, this year’s series was down 19% in ratings and 17% in total viewers from an 11.5 with 17.9 million viewers for Pistons/Lakers. Additionally, the 9.3 average rating is the eighth lowest for an NBA Finals since at least 1976.
While the numbers for this year’s Finals can be viewed as disappointing, especially considering the lofty expectations at the start of the series, ABC and the NBA can be satisfied. Each game of the Finals was the most watched program on television for the night it aired, and the games have accounted for the six most watched programs of the summer. The Finals also stacked up well against some of the other major events in sports.
The 9.3 for Lakers/Celtics is only slightly behind the 9.4 for this year’s Final Four and the 9.5 for the Bowl Championship Series. The Finals also finishes above each of the most recent major golf tournaments and horse racing’s Triple Crown. Once again, the Finals fell behind the most recent World Series, but only by 13% — which would be the smallest gap between the two events since 2000.
The NBA Playoffs on ABC also finished ahead of the NCAA Tournament on CBS. ABC averaged a 5.8 rating for sixteen NBA Playoff games, including the Finals. By comparison, CBS averaged a 5.6 rating for its coverage of the NCAA Tournament, including the Final Four.
Where does this leave the NBA? Arguably the best possible match-up failed to draw a double digit rating, meaning it is possible no NBA Finals may ever reach that level again. Still, this series was far from a dud.
Perhaps the best conclusion to draw from this Lakers/Celtics series is that the NBA is not at the level it used to be — a far less interesting Lakers/Nets sweep six years ago drew better numbers than Lakers/Celtics — but is certainly still in the top tier of the major sports.
