Not surprisingly, a 30-point sweep-clinching blowout was a soft television draw.
Game 4 of the Hawks/Cavaliers NBA Eastern Conference Finals earned a 4.0 rating and 6.3 million viewers on TNT Tuesday night, according to Nielsen fast-nationals — down 5% in ratings and 2% in viewership from Spurs/Thunder last year (4.2, 6.4M) and down 22% in both measures from Heat/Pacers in 2013 (5.1, 8.1M).
Compared to Pacers/Heat Game 4 on ESPN last year, ratings and viewership declined by 9% and 10%, respectively, from a 4.4 and 7.0 million.
The Cavaliers’ series-clinching victory earned the second-lowest rating and viewership for any game of the Eastern Conference Finals since Magic/Celtics Game 3 in 2010 (3.7, 6.0M) — ahead of only Friday’s Game 2 (3.6, 5.9M).
The full four-game series averaged a 4.2 rating and 6.8 million viewers in the fast-nationals, even with last year’s six-game Spurs/Thunder series (4.2, 6.8M) and down 19% in both measures from the seven-game Heat/Pacers series in 2013 (5.2, 8.4M). Compared to last year’s six-game Pacers/Heat series on ESPN, ratings and viewership declined 7% and 6%, respectively, from a 4.5 and 7.2 million.
Cavaliers/Hawks ranks as the lowest rated and least-watched Eastern Conference Finals on since 2008, when Celtics/Pistons averaged an approximate* 4.0 and 5.9 million on ESPN/ABC. Regardless of conference, it is tied as the second-lowest in both measures since 2008 — matching Spurs/Thunder last year and ahead of only Spurs/Grizzlies in 2013 (3.1, 4.9M).
Of the seven conference finals to involve LeBron James, this year’s series ranks ahead of only Cavaliers/Pistons in 2007 (3.5, 5.0M).
* Official averages for the full six-game 2008 Celtics/Pistons series were never released. The five games on ESPN averaged a 4.0 and 6.0 million.
(Tue. numbers and series avg. from Turner Sports)
