The 2011 NBA Finals got off to a good start on ABC Tuesday night.
Tuesday’s Game 1 between the Mavericks and Heat drew a 10.7 overnight rating on ABC, up 3% from last year (BOS/LAL G1: 10.4), and up 20% from 2009 (ORL/LAL G1: 8.9).
Game 1 of the 2006 Heat/Mavericks NBA Finals earned a 9.3 overnight. Game 1 of the 2007 Spurs/Cavaliers NBA Finals, the first NBA Finals game to feature current Heat star LeBron James, drew a 7.9 overnight.
The 10.7 overnight is the highest for Game 1 of the NBA Finals since 2004 (DET/LAL G1: 11.6), and the highest for Game 1 of a non-Lakers NBA Finals since 1999 (NY/SA: 11.7).
Over the past ten years, final ratings for Game 1 of the NBA Finals have declined between 12% and 21% from the overnight, putting Tuesday’s game on pace to finish in the 8.5 to 9.4 range.
In 2006, the 7.8 final rating for Heat/Mavericks Game 1 was 16% lower than the 9.3 overnight. A 16% drop this year would translate into a 9.0 final rating.
Tuesday’s game drew a 31.9 rating in Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, up 28% from Game 1 in 2006 (24.9).
In Dallas-Ft. Worth, Game 1 drew an 29.9 rating, down 9% from 2006 (32.8). For some perspective, Game 1 of the Giants/Rangers World Series earned a 33.9 in the market last year.
Overnight Ratings For Game 1 of the NBA Finals
Dating Back to 2001
(This year’s numbers from espnmediazone3.com)
