Boosted by Thursday’s Game 7, viewership for the NBA Finals hit a nine-year high on ABC.
ABC averaged a 10.6 rating and 18.1 million viewers for the 2010 NBA Finals, up 26% in ratings and viewership from Lakers/Magic last year (8.4, 14.3 mil, five games), up 14% and 21%, respectively, from Celtics/Lakers in 2008 (9.3, 14.9 mil, six games), and up 71% and 95%, respectively, from Spurs/Cavaliers in 2007 (6.2, 9.3 mil, four games).
This marks the most-viewed NBA Finals since Lakers/76ers on NBC in 2001 (19.0 mil), and the second most-viewed since Bulls/Jazz in 1998 (29.0 mil) — Michael Jordan‘s last NBA Finals.
This is only the second time since ’98 that the NBA Finals has averaged at least 18 million viewers.
Lakers/Celtics outdrew the last two seven-game NBA Finals — Spurs/Pistons in 2005 (12.5 mil) and Rockets/Knicks in 1994 (17.3 mil).
Of the 15 NBA Finals since 1990 that did not involve Jordan and the Bulls, Lakers/Celtics is the third-most viewed, behind the aforementioned Lakers/76ers series in 2001 (19.0 mil) and Rockets/Magic in 1995 (20.1 mil).
The 10.6 average rating for Lakers/Celtics is the highest since Lakers/Pistons in 2004 (11.5), and the second-highest ever on ABC. This only the second time in the past eight years that the NBA Finals has averaged a double-digit rating.
Lakers/Celtics ranks as the fifth-lowest rated NBA Finals to involve the Lakers in the past thirty years (15 series) — ahead of only Lakers/Nets in 2002 (10.2), Lakers/Celtics in 2008 (9.3), Lakers/Magic in 2009 (8.4) and Lakers/76ers in 1980 (8.0).
Among adults 18-49, the series averaged a 7.3 rating — up 21% from last year (5.9), up 20% from 2008 (6.1) and up 97% from 2007 (3.7). This marks the highest average for the NBA Finals in the demographic since 2004 (7.9).
For perspective, the 2010 NBA Finals finished behind the 2009 World Series, which averaged an 11.7 rating and 19.4 million viewers for six games. However, Lakers/Celtics topped Yankees/Phillies among adults 18-49, 7.3 to 6.2.
Lakers/Celtics averaged more viewers than all but six primetime programs during the 2009-10 television season. Additionally, the series averaged a higher rating among adults 18-49 than every single primetime television program except American Idol (8.3 on Tuesday, 7.7 on Wednesday).
Ratings/Viewership For The 2010 NBA Finals
Game 6 is compared to 2008, Game 7 is compared to 2005
| Date | Game | # | Net | Rating | vs. ’09 | Viewers | vs. ’09 | A18-49 | vs. ’09 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu., 6/3/10 | Celtics 89 | 1 | ABC |
8.6
|
10%
|
14,088
|
8%
|
5.7
|
6%
|
| Lakers 102 | |||||||||
| Sun., 6/6/10 | Celtics 103 | 2 | ABC |
9.2
|
12%
|
15,718
|
12%
|
6.5
|
12%
|
| Lakers 94 | |||||||||
| Tue., 6/8/10 | Lakers 91 | 3 | ABC |
9.6
|
12%
|
15,959
|
12%
|
6.7
|
14%
|
| Celtics 84 | |||||||||
| Thu., 6/10/10 | Lakers 89 | 4 | ABC |
9.9
|
5%
|
16,371
|
3%
|
6.6
|
3%
|
| Celtics 96 | |||||||||
| Sun., 6/13/10 | Lakers 86 | 5 | ABC |
10.8
|
35%
|
18,654
|
32%
|
7.2
|
26%
|
| Celtics 92 | |||||||||
| Tue., 6/15/10 | Celtics 67 | 6 | ABC |
10.4
|
-3%
|
17,960
|
6%
|
7.1
|
3%
|
| Lakers 89 | |||||||||
| Thu., 6/17/10 | Celtics 79 | 7 | ABC |
15.6
|
31%
|
28,203
|
49%
|
11.4
|
50%
|
| Lakers 83 |
Ratings/Viewership For Every NBA Finals Since 1995 (Adults 18-49 Rating Since 2003)
| Year | Series | Net | Rating | Viewers | A18-49 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Lakers 4, Celtics 3 | ABC |
10.6
|
18,144
|
7.3
|
| 2009 | Lakers 4, Magic 1 | ABC |
8.4
|
14,347
|
5.9
|
| 2008 | Celtics 4, Lakers 2 | ABC |
9.3
|
14,941
|
6.1
|
| 2007 | Spurs 4, Cavaliers 0 | ABC |
6.2
|
9,289
|
3.7
|
| 2006 | Heat 4, Mavericks 2 | ABC |
8.5
|
12,972
|
5.3
|
| 2005 | Spurs 4, Pistons 3 | ABC |
8.2
|
12,544
|
5.1
|
| 2004 | Pistons 4, Lakers 1 | ABC |
11.5
|
17,942
|
7.9
|
| 2003 | Spurs 4, Nets 2 | ABC |
6.5
|
9,864
|
4.1
|
| 2002 | Lakers 4, Nets 0 | NBC |
10.2
|
15,678
|
—
|
| 2001 | Lakers 4, 76ers 1 | NBC |
12.1
|
18,996
|
—
|
| 2000 | Lakers 4, Pacers 2 | NBC |
11.6
|
17,402
|
—
|
| 1999 | Spurs 4, Knicks 0 | NBC |
11.3
|
16,014
|
—
|
| 1998 | Bulls 4, Jazz 2 | NBC |
18.7
|
29,040
|
—
|
| 1997 | Bulls 4, Jazz 2 | NBC |
16.8
|
25,586
|
—
|
| 1996 | Bulls 4, Supersonics 2 | NBC |
16.7
|
24,858
|
—
|
| 1995 | Rockets 4, Magic 0 | NBC |
13.9
|
20,078
|
—
|
(ESPN)
