Lack of suspense and a plethora of unknown players resulted in low numbers for the NBA Draft.
The 2016 NBA Draft earned a 2.4 overnight rating on ESPN Thursday night, down 23% from both last year and 2014, when the event earned its highest overnight since moving to ESPN (3.1). The 2.4 is the lowest for the NBA Draft since 2012 (2.3) and the second-lowest since 2010.
The first two picks of the draft — LSU F Ben Simmons and Duke F Brandon Ingram — were known before the event got underway. The rest of the first round was dominated by international players who are not particularly well known.
According to Sports Business Daily, Louisville led all markets with a 6.5 rating, followed by Philadelphia at 5.0. Those markets also topped the charts last year. Memphis (4.6), Raleigh-Durham (4.2) and Oklahoma City (3.5) rounded out the top five.
(Thu. numbers from Sports Business Daily)
