NBA viewership rebounded from last year’s lows, with all four television partners posting an increase.
Including NBA TV, this year’s games averaged 1.28 million — still up 8% from last year (1.19M), but also up 2% from 2015-16 (1.26M). Per Sports Business Daily, the four-network average is the highest for any NBA season since 2013-14 (1.29M).
All four NBA broadcasters posted an increase. As previously noted, ABC averaged a 2.2 rating (+16%) and 3.8 million viewers (+17%) for its 17 games, topping the charts in ratings, viewership, and growth over last season.
ESPN averaged 1.63 million viewers for its 87 games, up 4% from last year (1.57M) but down 1% from two years ago (1.65M). ESPN figures now include streaming viewership; comparisons are to last year’s TV-only figures.
TNT was the lone rights partner to outperform the 2015-16 season, averaging 1.74 million viewers — up 13% from last year (1.54M) and up 4% from two years ago (1.68M). It was the network’s most-watched season since 2013-14 (1.9M).
Finally, NBA TV chipped in 314,000 for its games (+1%).
The highest rated and most-watched game of the season was Cavaliers-Warriors on ABC Christmas Day, with a 4.5 and 8.8 million. The lowest rated and least-watched was Mavericks-Clippers opposite Game 7 of the World Series last November. That had a 0.45 and 677,000 on ESPN.
[Averages from the NBA, with additional info from Sports Business Daily 4.13, ESPN PR]
