The NBA Finals ended with another low rating, but nonetheless put up a stronger fight against Sunday Night Football than the previous week.
Sunday’s clinching Game 6 of the NBA Finals (Lakers-Heat) averaged a 4.2 rating and 8.29 million viewers on ABC, marking the lowest rated and least-watched Finals clincher on record. Ratings fell 61% and viewership 56% from last year’s Game 6, a close game that took place in June and did not face NFL competition (Raptors-Warriors: 10.7, 18.76M).
Despite the historically low number, the Lakers’ title-clinching rout showed marked improvement over the previous week’s Game 3 — the only other Finals game to air on an NFL Sunday — rising 35% and 40% respectively from a 3.1 and 5.94 million.
In adults 18-49 (3.2) and 18-34 (2.9), Game 6 was television’s highest rated show opposite NBC’s Sunday Night Football in two years — since Game 5 of the 2018 World Series. It tied as the highest rated in adults 25-54 (3.4). Last year’s World Series game opposite SNF averaged a 2.7 in 18-49, a 2.0 in 18-34, and a 3.3 in 25-54 (it was a stronger draw overall with a 6.5 and 11.39M).
Excluding shows that had a direct lead-in from the NFL, no program has done better opposite SNF in those demos since AMC’s “The Walking Dead” in 2017 (3.4 in 18-49 on 12/10, 3.0 in 18-34 on 10/29, 3.8 in 25-54 on 12/10).
It should be noted that SNF still beat the NBA in all relevant metrics, with Seahawks-Vikings winning by 50% in ratings (8.4), 82% in viewership (15.08M), 56% in 25-54 (5.3) and 31% in 18-49 (4.2), but just 7% in 18-34 (3.1).
Game 5 on Friday night averaged a series-high 4.8 and 8.89 million, marking the most-watched game of the protracted NBA season. The previous mark was 8.76 million for Clippers-Lakers on Christmas Day. Miami’s thrilling win tied last month’s Kentucky Derby as the highest rated non-football sporting event in 2020 and ranks second behind the Derby in viewership (9.26M).
It was TV’s highest rated Friday show in 18-49 (3.2), 18-34 (2.7) and 25-54 (3.6) since Game 4 of last year’s Finals 16 months ago (Raptors-Warriors: 4.3; 3.6; 4.8).
As one would expect, ratings were still down 55% and viewership 52% from last year’s Game 5, which again took place as scheduled in June (10.6, 18.60M).
Games 5 and 6 were the only games of the NBA Finals to surpass the event’s all-time viewership low prior to this year, 8.06 million for Nets-Spurs Game 2 in 2003. Game 6 still ranks as the sixth-least watched Finals game on record and Game 5 the eighth.
Local ratings were not immediately available.
