An NBA coronation clinched 11 months ago delivered big numbers for ABC.
Monday’s Cavaliers-Warriors NBA Finals Game 5 had a 16.0 overnight rating on ABC, up 13% from last year and 2015 (14.2 both years), both of which featured the same two teams. The 2015 game aired on a Sunday night.
The Warriors’ title-clinching win, which peaked at an 18.8 from 11:30-11:45 PM ET, earned the highest Game 5 overnight since Jazz-Bulls in 1998 (20.6). The previous high over that span was a 15.4 for Lakers-Pistons in 2004.
It also earned the fourth-highest overnight for an NBA Finals clincher since Pacers-Lakers Game 6 in 2000 (17.3), trailing only three game sevens — Cavaliers-Warriors last year (18.9), Spurs-Heat in 2013 (17.7) and Celtics-Lakers in 2010 (18.2).
The 16.0 is the highest for a non-NFL sporting event this year, topping the Clemson-Alabama college football national championship (15.3) and the North Carolina-Gonzaga college basketball title game (14.5). The NBA tends to have fairly sizable declines from the overnights to the final ratings, so it will likely finish behind at least Clemson-Alabama when all is said and done.
Game 5 earned a 39.6 rating in the Bay Area, up 7% from last year (36.9) and up 18% from 2015 (33.6). In three years, the Warriors have now played a whopping six finals games with an opportunity to clinch the title. As should be no surprise, Monday’s game ranks second only to their Game 6 clincher in 2015 (40.7), topping the team’s four losses in Games 5-7 last year and Game 4 this year.
Game 5 had a 37.1 in Cleveland, down 4% from last year (38.5) and down 13% from 2015 (42.5). Columbus, Ohio, ranked third with a 23.3 rating, followed by Sacramento (21.2). Atlanta was the top market outside of the participating states with a 21.0.
[Mon. numbers from ESPN]
