With the Heat game pushed back due to a conflict at United Center, ABC suffered a big decline in overnight ratings for Spurs/Warriors on Sunday.
Game 4 of the Spurs/Warriors second round NBA playoff series drew a 4.1 overnight on ABC Sunday afternoon, down 31% from Heat/Pacers Game 4 last year (5.9), and down 37% from Lakers/Mavericks Game 4 in 2011 (6.5).
The 4.1 is the third-lowest of the NBA Playoffs on ABC, ahead of only Celtics/Knicks Game 1 on April 20 (3.7) and Grizzlies/Thunder Game 1 on May 5 (3.8). Keep in mind Sunday’s game aired directly opposite Tiger Woods‘ win at the PGA Tour The Players Championship (5.7).
On Saturday night, Game 3 between the Knicks and Pacers drew a 4.3 overnight — down 25% from Heat/Celtics Game 3 in 2011 (5.7). The network’s lone Saturday night playoff game last year, Game 7 between the Sixers and Celtics, drew a 5.5.
Knicks/Pacers Game 3 earned the lowest overnight for a primetime NBA game on ABC since Game 3 of a Cavaliers/Hawks second round series in 2009 (4.0).
ESPN had a much better weekend, owing to the presence of the Heat on its schedule. Friday’s Heat/Bulls Game 3 drew a 5.2 overnight on ESPN — up 44% from Celtics/Sixers Game 4 last year (3.6), and up 79% from Bulls/Hawks Game 3 in 2011 (2.9).
Spurs/Warriors Game 3 later in the night drew a 4.7 overnight, down only 11% from Thunder/Lakers Game 3 last year (5.3), and down 15% from Lakers/Mavericks Game 3 in 2011 (5.5).
Rounding out the weekend’s action, Saturday’s Thunder/Grizzlies Game 3 drew a 2.7 overnight — down 7% from both Spurs/Clippers Game 3 on ABC last year (2.9) and Thunder/Grizzlies Game 3 on ESPN in 2011 (2.9).
(Weekend overnights from Sports Business Daily)
