Aided by the Warriors, ABC eked out a slight increase in viewership for its early round NBA playoff coverage.
The first two rounds of the NBA Playoffs averaged a 3.4 rating and 5.3 million viewers on ABC, flat in ratings and up 1% in viewership from last year (5.34M to 5.28M) and down a tick and 1%, respectively, from 2014 (3.5, 5.4M).
Four of ABC’s nine games involved the Warriors, with each of those posting double-digit increases in ratings and viewership. Of the five other games, only one managed an increase — Game 7 of Hornets/Heat in the first round.
Last Sunday, ABC scored a 3.6 final rating and 5.8 million viewers for Game 7 of the Heat/Raptors second round series — down 18% in ratings and 17% in viewership from Clippers/Rockets last year (4.4, 6.9M) and the lowest rated and least-watched second round Game 7 since Nets/Pistons on ESPN twelve years ago (2.6, 3.8M).
Though low for a Game 7, the Raptors’ rout ranks as the most-watched Eastern Conference game of the playoffs. That includes the first two games of the conference finals.
Ratings/Viewership For 2016 NBA Playoffs on ABC
| Date | Time | Game | Rtg. | Vwrs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., 4/16 | 3:30 PM | Rockets/Warriors First Round Game 1 |
3.1 +35% |
4.77M +36% |
| Sun., 4/17 | 3:00 PM | Pistons/Cavaliers First Round Game 1 |
3.4 -3% |
5.35M -1% |
| Sun., 4/24 | 1:00 PM | Spurs/Grizzlies First Round Game 4 |
2.3 -28% |
3.50M -29% |
| 3:30 PM | Warriors/Rockets First Round Game 4 |
4.5 +10% |
7.24M +11% |
|
| Sun., 5/1 | 1:00 PM | Hornets/Heat First Round Game 7 |
2.5 +19% |
3.78M +24% |
| 3:30 PM | Blazers/Warriors Semifinals Game 1 |
4.1 +37% |
6.66M +41% |
|
| Sat., 5/7 | 8:30 PM | Warriors/Blazers Semifinals Game 3 |
3.6 +16% |
5.85M +19% |
| Sun., 5/8 | 3:30 PM | Cavaliers/Hawks Semifinals Game 4 |
3.1 -30% |
5.18M -25% |
| Sun., 5/15 | 3:30 PM | Heat/Raptors Semifinals Game 7 |
3.6 -18% |
5.75M -17% |
(Playoff avg. from ESPN; Sun. numbers via Sports Business Daily)
