NBA Finals TV Ratings Down From Last Year

The first two games of the NBA Finals series between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs resulted in a TV ratings slip for ABC. Game 1 was down 12% in terms of total viewers compared to last year’s series opener between Miami and the OKC Thunder; Game 2 drew 13% less viewers. Per Deadline and the AP: “The final numbers are in for Game 1 of the NBA Finals and it remains a loss for ABC. Running from 9 PM – 11:39 PM ET, the match-up between the San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat received a 5.7/18 with 14.2 million viewers watching. That’s down 17% among Adults 18-49 from the first game of last year’s NBA Final on June 12, 2012. The game was also down 12% in terms of viewers from last year. Having said that, Thursday’s game was the best ever start for a finals that ABC has had when the Spurs are playing. […] The NBA Finals’ television viewership for Game 2 was down 13 percent from last year. Miami’s 103-84 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday night on ABC was watched by 14.6 million people. That’s down from 16.7 million for the Heat-Thunder series a year ago. Miami had turned Sunday’s game into a blowout by midway through the fourth quarter. The Heat’s Game 2 win last season was still in doubt in the final minute.”