The Golden State Warriors are just one win from the NBA Championship following their 104-91 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday night, and that Game 5 win continued the trend of absurd overnights for ABC. Game 5 drew a 14.2 overnight rating, marking the highest overnight of the series.
Game 5’s 14.2 was also the highest rating for a Game 5 on ABC in more than a decade, and was up 21% from Game 5 of Spurs-Heat last year…which was the final game of last year’s Finals. That’s right – a non-elimination game in this series was up 21% on the clincher from a year ago.
Locally, the game once again shined. In San Francisco, Game 5 drew a 33.6 overnight, another record for an NBA on ABC game in the market. In Cleveland, the game drew a 42.5, down from Games 3 and 4, but still good for the third-highest rating ever for an NBA on ABC in the market.
Through five games, the Finals has averaged a 13.5 rating, up 27% from last year. We’re also looking at the highest-rated Finals since (of course) Bulls-Jazz in 1998, a lofty peak following a disappointing season for the NBA on national television. If we end up getting to a Game 7, we could be looking some truly insane numbers, despite that potential game taking place on Friday night.
[ESPN]

Comments are closed.
About Joe Lucia
I hate your favorite team. I also sort of hate most of my favorite teams.
Recent Posts
Terrell Owens wants Stephen A. Smith suspended from ESPN for Lane Johnson fiasco
NFL legend Terrell Owens has no love lost for Stephen A. Smith and wants to see accountability over his latest controversy.
MLB on Fox crew can’t stop picking against the Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers fans have been upset with Fox Sports all postseason over the lack of respect for their team.
Fox reportedly hasn’t entered negotiations with Greg Olsen ahead of free agency
Fox Sports has reportedly not made progress on a new contract with Greg Olsen ahead of an unprecented analyst market.
WNBA transgender athlete discourse exposed as manufactured outrage, according to report
"Anger has turned into dollars for other people. The point is to sow division."
Troy Aikman addresses Joe Buck quarrel, ESPN contract status
"I don’t know if it’s hard to figure out kind of what's happened."
ESPN
What’s really going on between Joe Buck and Troy Aikman?