The NBA Finals topped the 20 million mark for the first time Sunday, scoring one of the league’s largest audiences since 1998.
Game 5 of the Cavaliers/Warriors NBA Finals earned an 11.8 final rating and 20.9 million viewers Sunday, up 15% in ratings and 16% in viewership from last year’s Heat/Spurs clincher (10.3, 18.0M) and up 24% and 28%, respectively, from Heat/Spurs in 2013 (9.5, 16.3M). Viewership peaked at 24.8 million from 10:30-11 PM ET in the fast-nationals.
The Warriors’ win ranks as the highest rated and most-watched Game 5 of the NBA Finals since Lakers/Pistons in 2004 (13.8, 21.8M), and is second in both measures since Jazz/Bulls in 1998 (19.8, 30.6M). All five games of the series have been the highest rated and most-watched in over a decade.
Overall, Game 5 earned the seventh-largest NBA audience since 1998 and the largest when series-clinchers are excluded. The previous high for a non-clinching game was 20.6 million for Spurs/Heat Game 6 in 2013.
Warriors/Cavaliers has now generated five double-digit ratings, tying 2000 and 2001 as the most in a single series since 1998. Last year’s NBA Finals had one double-digit rating, and the 2013 series had three in seven games.
Sunday’s game drew a 7.6 rating among adults 18-49, up 11% from last year (6.8), up 21% from 2013 (6.3) and matching 2012 as the highest since Lakers/Pistons in 2004 (9.4). It also had a 7.5 rating among adults 18-34, up 14% from last year (6.6) and up 19% from 2013 (6.3), both of which were fast-nationals.
Through five games, the NBA Finals has averaged an 11.2 rating and 19.2 million viewers in the fast-nationals, up 20% in ratings and 24% in viewership from last year (9.3, 15.4M) and up 23% and 27%, respectively, from 2013 (9.1, 15.1M). The series ranks as the highest rated NBA Finals through five games since 2004 and the most-watched since 1998. It is also averaging a 7.4 among adults 18-49, up 21% from last year (6.1).
UPDATE 6/16: Sunday numbers updated with the final nationals.
Most-Watched NBA Games Since 1998
| # | Year | Game | Net | Rtg. | Vwrs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2010 | Celtics/Lakers NBA Finals Game 7 |
ABC | 15.6 | 28.20M |
| 2 | 2013 | Spurs/Heat NBA Finals Game 7 |
ABC | 15.3 | 26.32M |
| 3 | 2011 | Mavericks/Heat NBA Finals Game 6 |
ABC | 13.3 | 23.88M |
| 4 | 2002 | Lakers/Kings West Final Game 7 |
NBC | 14.4 | 23.80M |
| 5 | 2000 | Pacers/Lakers NBA Finals Game 6 |
NBC | 14.7 | 22.40M |
| 6 | 2004 | Lakers/Pistons NBA Finals Game 5 |
ABC | 13.8 | 21.84M |
| 7 | 2015 | Cavaliers/Warriors NBA Finals Game 5 |
ABC | 11.8 | 20.86M |
| 8 | 2013 | Spurs/Heat NBA Finals Game 6 |
ABC | 12.3 | 20.64M |
| 9 | 2004 | Lakers/Pistons NBA Finals Game 4 |
ABC | 12.7 | 20.30M |
| 10 | 2001 | Lakers/Sixers NBA Finals Game 3 |
NBC | 12.7 | 20.28M |
(Sun. numbers from ESPN Media Zone, ABC via TV By the Numbers; final nationals from TV Media Insights)
