Despite a blowout win by Golden State that assures the NBA Finals will go at least 6 games, last night’s Game 4 drew the highest ratings for a such contest in over ten years. Thursday’s game averaged a 13.9 overnight rating which is 31% better than last year’s 10.6 for Game 4 of Miami-San Antonio.
Cleveland drew the highest ratings of all local markets with a 45.7 while San Francisco averaged a 30.5..
Through four games, the series is averaging the highest ratings for an NBA Finals on ABC.
Here’s the announcement.
Highest-Rated NBA Finals Ever on ABC through Four Games
13.9 Overnight Rating is Best for Game 4 in Over a Decade
NBA_FinalsThe 2015 NBA Finals, in which the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors are tied 2-2, is the highest-rated ever on ABC through four games, according to Nielsen. Last night’s Game 4 delivered a 13.9 overnight rating, which is the highest-rated Game 4 on ABC in over a decade and up 31 percent from a 10.6 for last year’s Game 4 (Miami-San Antonio). The broadcast peaked with a 16.0 from 11:15-11:30 p.m. ET.
Locally, the NBA Finals on ABC continues to deliver big numbers. In the Cleveland market, Game 4 generated a 45.7 rating, which is the second-highest rated NBA game ever on ABC (Game 3 was the highest). In the San Francisco market, the broadcast delivered a 30.5 rating, which is the third-highest rated NBA game ever on ABC (Games 2 and 3 rank as the highest).
Through four games, the record-setting 2015 NBA Finals is averaging a 13.1 overnight rating, which is up 26 percent from a 10.4 last year.
Additionally, the NBA Finals is expected to win the night across all of television (broadcast and cable) for the 46th consecutive time.
NBA Countdown, ABC’s NBA Finals pre-game show, posted a 4.8 overnight rating, which was up 23 percent from a 3.9 for last year’s Game 4 pre-game show.
NBA Finals Game 4 on WatchESPN
The NBA Finals continue to deliver record audiences on WatchESPN. Thursday’s Game 4 drew 744,500 unique viewers and an average minute audience of 203,000.
That’s it for now.
