Despite Fifth Straight Decline, NBA Finals Strong Entering Game 7

Even after a fifth straight drop in viewership and some multi-year ratings lows, the NBA Finals continues to deliver strong numbers.

Game 6 of the Warriors/Cavaliers NBA Finals had an 11.8 final rating and 20.7 million viewers on ABC Thursday night, down 12% in ratings and 11% in viewership from the same matchup last year (13.4, 23.3M). Compared to the last non-clinching Game 6, Spurs/Heat in 2013, ratings dipped 4% (from 12.3) but viewership rose a fraction of a percent (from 20.6M). Figures do not include WatchESPN (392K) or ESPN Deportes.

The Cavaliers’ series-tying win, which peaked at 25.3 million viewers from 11:30-11:45 PM ET, earned the third-largest Game 6 audience since Pacers/Lakers in 2000 (22.4M). Mavericks/Heat in 2011 holds the top spot over that span (23.9M), followed by last year’s game.

It also earned the ninth-largest NBA audience overall since 1998. Seven of the 11 most-watched games over that span have involved LeBron James, and four have been Warriors/Cavaliers matchups.

Though viewership was strong historically, Game 6 was the fifth straight in the series to decline from last year. It was also the fourth of the past five games to decline in ratings, with the 11.8 ranking as the lowest for Game 6 in the NBA Finals since Celtics/Lakers in 2010 (10.4). This marks the first time in 12 finals games between the Warriors and Cavaliers that ratings or viewership hit a multi-year low.

Ratings also hit multi-year lows in the young adult demographics. Game 6 had a series-high 7.7 rating in adults 18-49, but that was down 14% from last year (8.9), down 9% from 2013 (8.5), and the lowest Game 6 rating in the demo since 2010 (7.1). In adults 18-34, it had a 7.2 rating — down 18% from last year (8.8), down 17% from 2013 (8.7), and the lowest Game 6 rating in that demo since Lakers/Celtics in 2008 (6.9). Notably, three of the past four games have hit at least an eight-year low in A18-34.

Since opening with the highest rated and most-watched Game 1 since 2001 and 1998, respectively, each subsequent game of the NBA Finals has been flat or down compared to last year. One obvious culprit is the double-digit scoring margins in each of the six games. A less obvious one is the stretched out schedule that included the first Friday finals game since 2003.

Entering Game 7, the NBA Finals has averaged a 10.7 rating and 18.5 million viewers — down 8% in ratings and 7% in viewership from last year (11.6, 19.9M). It trails only last year as the highest rated NBA Finals since 2004 and the most-watched since 2001.

Most-Watched NBA Games Since 1998

(Thu. numbers from ESPN, with additional info from ShowBuzz Daily)