Despite a downward trend for NBA games this season, all five Christmas Day telecasts had year-over-year increases in viewership.
The Cavaliers/Heat NBA Christmas Day game drew a 4.7 rating and 9.3 million viewers on ABC, according to Nielsen fast-nationals — up 12% in ratings and 19% in viewership from Heat/Lakers last year (4.2, 7.8M) but down 8% and 3%, respectively, from Thunder/Heat in 2012 (5.1, 9.6M).
Miami’s win earned the sixth-largest NBA Christmas Day audience since at least 2000 (51 telecasts) and the second-largest when Laker games are excluded. The Heat have played in five of the seven most-watched Christmas games over that span, more than any other team — including the Lakers.
Cavaliers/Heat was easily the biggest draw of the five-game Christmas slate, but the other four games also had solid gains. Thunder/Spurs drew a 3.3 and 6.0 million on ABC, up 10% in ratings and viewership from Thunder/Knicks last year (3.0, 5.5M) but down 31% in both measures from Knicks/Lakers in 2012 (4.8, 8.7M).
Shifting to cable, Lakers/Bulls led the way on TNT drew a 2.0 and 3.9 million — flat in ratings and up 15% in viewership from Rockets/Spurs on ESPN last year (2.0, 3.4M) and up 42% and 63%, respectively, from Rockets/Bulls on ESPN in 2012 (1.4, 2.4M).
The Warriors/Clippers nightcap drew a 1.7 and 3.1 million, down a tick in ratings but up 13% in viewership from the same matchup on ESPN last year (1.8, 2.7M) and up 13% and 33%, respectively, from Nuggets/Clippers in 2012 (1.5, 2.3M). TNT averaged 3.5 million for the primetime doubleheader, up 17% from last year on ESPN (3.0M), up 52% from 2012 (2.3M), and the most-watched primetime Christmas doubleheader ever on cable.
Rounding out the day’s action, Wizards/Knicks drew a 1.8 and 3.0 million on ESPN — up 13% in ratings and 9% in viewership from Bulls/Nets last year (1.6, 2.8M) but down 18% in both measures from Celtics/Nets in 2012 (2.2, 3.7M).
(Thu. numbers from ESPN Media Zone, Turner Sports)
