Despite hitting a series-high in the overnights, ratings and viewership for Sunday’s Game 3 of the NBA Finals dropped below Thursday’s Game 2.
Sunday’s Heat/Mavericks Game 3 earned a 9.1 final rating and 15.338 million viewers on ABC, down 5% in ratings and 4% in viewership from last year (LAL/BOS G3: 9.6, 15.959M), but up 6% and 8%, respectively, from 2009 (LAL/ORL G3: 8.6, 14.196M).
For some perspective, Mavericks/Heat Game 3 in 2006 drew an 8.0 and 12.246 million viewers, and Spurs/Cavaliers Game 3 in 2007 (LeBron James‘ third NBA Finals game) drew a 6.4 and 9.492 million.
Game 3 drew a lower rating and fewer viewers than Thursday’s Game 2 (9.3, 15.522M), despite a preliminary overnight rating that was 6% higher (11.1 for Game 3 to 10.5 for Game 2).
Despite the decline from last year, Sunday’s game ranks as the second-highest rated, second-most-viewed Game 3 of the NBA Finals since 2004 (LAL/DET: 10.5, 16.213M), and the top Game 3 of a non-Lakers NBA Finals since 1999 (SA/NY G3: 17.01M, NBC).
Sunday’s game hit series-lows in adults 18-49 (6.1) and adults 18-34 (6.0). The 6.1 rating among adults 18-49 marks a 9% decrease from last year (6.7), but ranks as the second-best Game 3 rating in the demo since 2004 (7.0).
Through three games, the 2011 NBA Finals is averaging a 9.1 rating and 15.311 million viewers on ABC, flat in ratings and up less than 1% in viewership compared to last year (LAL/BOS: 9.1, 15.252M), and up 11% in both measures compared to 2009 (LAL/ORL: 8.2, 13.791M).
The series ranks as the most-viewed NBA Finals since Pistons/Lakers in 2004 (15.916M), and is tied as the highest rated.
Among adults 18-49, the series is averaging a 6.3 rating — flat compared to last year, up 11% from 2009 (5.7), and tied as the highest since 2004.
(Numbers from TV By the Numbers, espnmediazone3.com, abcmedianet.com)
