Ratings for the NBA Finals are strong, but remain off from last year’s levels.
Lakers/Magic Game 3 drew a 10.1 overnight on ABC Tuesday night, down 6% from a 10.8 for Celtics/Lakers Game 3 last year, but the second-highest overnight rating for a Game 3 in the NBA Finals since 2004.
The 10.1 overnight marks a 29% increase over a 7.8 for Spurs/Cavaliers Game 3 in ’07, and a 12% rise over Mavericks/Heat Game 3 in ’06. Additionally, the 10.1 is the highest overnight of the 2009 NBA Finals, topping a 9.9 for Sunday’s Game 2 and an 8.9 for Thursday’s Game 1.
Through three games, the 2009 NBA Finals is averaging a 9.6 overnight rating, down 9% from a 10.5 through three games last year, but up 26% from a 7.6 through three games in ’07.
In Orlando, Game 3 drew a 29.0 rating, the highest of the series. The 29.0 tops a 23.9 for Game 1 and a 24.1 for Game 2. The game drew a 24.7 in Los Angeles, down 13% from a 28.3 last year.
ABC won the night in prime time in the adults 18-49 demo, but finished in second-place in total viewers, behind CBS.
Source: ESPN
