ABC just cannot catch a break.
The Lakers’ uncompetitive, fairly unwatchable Game 7 blowout of the Rockets drew a 5.6 overnight rating on ABC Sunday afternoon, down 19% from a 6.9 for Cavaliers/Celtics Game 7 last year, down 16% from a 6.7 for Cavaliers/Pistons Game 7 in ’06, and the lowest overnight rating of the decade for a second round Game 7 on broadcast.
While TNT and ESPN drew strong ratings for Rockets/Lakers, the two games of the series to air on ABC each saw double-digit declines.
The 5.6 is the highest overnight of the playoffs for ABC, but Game 7 is destined to finish as yet another NBA Playoff game on the network to see declining ratings. Entering Sunday’s Game 7, ABC’s NBA ratings were already down 9% from last year.
Despite the lower rating, Rockets/Lakers Game 7 drew the second-highest overnight of the weekend, behind The Preakness Stakes on NBC.
Overnight ratings for NBA second round Game 7s on broadcast since 2000.
| Year | Date | Time | Game | Net | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Sun., 5/21/00 | 3:30 PM | Knicks/Heat Game 7 | NBC | |
| 2001 | Sun., 5/20/01 | 3:00 PM | Hornets/Bucks Game 7 | NBC | |
| 5:30 PM | Raptors/76ers Game 7 | NBC | |||
| 2006 | Sun., 5/21/06 | 3:30 PM | Cavaliers/Pistons Game 7 | ABC | |
| 2008 | Sun., 5/18/08 | 3:30 PM | Cavaliers/Celtics Game 7 | ABC | |
| 2009 | Sun., 5/17/09 | 3:30 PM | Rockets/Lakers Game 7 | ABC |
