The NFL Draft was partly to blame for a slow weekend of NBA playoff action on ESPN and ABC.
Game 4 of the Thunder/Clippers second round NBA playoff series drew a 4.2 overnight rating on ABC Sunday afternoon, up 11% from Spurs/Warriors last year (3.8*), but down 29% from Heat/Pacers in 2012 (5.9). The 4.2 trails the previous two weeks, when ABC earned a 5.0 overnight for Clippers/Warriors Game 4 and a 4.9 for Mavericks/Spurs Game 7.
Heat/Nets Game 3 the previous night earned a 4.3 overnight, even with Knicks/Pacers last year (4.3) and up 48% from Spurs/Clippers in the afternoon in 2012 (2.9). The 4.3 is the lowest for a second round Heat game on ABC since LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined the team in 2010; the previous four games earned at least a 5.2 overnight.
On ESPN, all three games over the weekend had declines. Friday’s Thunder/Clippers Game 3 had a 3.9 overnight, down 15% from Spurs/Warriors last year (4.6*) and down 26% from Thunder/Lakers in 2012 (5.3). The early game between the Pacers and Wizards drew a 2.7, down 46% from Heat/Bulls last year (5.0*) and down 25% from Celtics/Sixers Game 4 in 2012 (3.6). Both games aired opposite second round coverage of the NFL Draft.
Spurs/Blazers Game 3 drew a 2.5 overnight Saturday night, down 7% from Thunder/Grizzlies in an earlier window last year (2.7*).
Rounding out the weekend action, Pacers/Wizards Game 4 had a 3.7 overnight on TNT. There was no comparable window last year.
* Last year’s overnights were originally reported as slightly higher. The May 13, 2013 edition of Sports Business Daily had Spurs/Warriors Game 4 earning a 4.1 overnight on ABC, Spurs/Warriors Game 3 a 4.7 on ESPN, and Heat/Bulls Game 4 a 5.2, also on ESPN.
(This year’s overnights from ESPN, ShowBuzz Daily)
