SportsBusiness Daily — Sports Business Resources — your sports business news and information source. Learn More
Advanced
Home About Us Advertise With Us Marketplace/Classifieds College & University Program Subscribe/Trial My Account

Monday
June 16, 2008
Print This Issue


 
MOST VIEWED STORIES
View the top 20 stories
 
Recent Issues
Sports Media

ABC Earns 12.1 Overnight For Celtics-Lakers NBA Finals Game Five

ABC's Game Five Overnight Rating Up
19.8% From Comparable Game In '06
ABC last night for Celtics-Lakers NBA Finals Game Five, which the Lakers won 103-98 to cut the Celtics' series lead to 3-2, earned a 12.1 overnight Nielsen rating, up 19.8% over the comparable '06 Heat-Mavericks Game Five. The '07 Spurs-Cavaliers NBA Finals went just four games. The 12.1 is the highest NBA Finals overnight since a 13.8 for Game Seven of Spurs-Pistons in '05.  Last night's game earned a 27.8 in L.A. and a 29.2 in Boston. Meanwhile, ABC Thursday for Celtics-Lakers Game Four led all broadcast nets in adults 18-49 for the eighth week in a row, the net's longest Thursday winning streak in more than 16 years. Additionally, the NBA section on ESPN.com Thursday drew nearly 7.3 million page views, up 192% over the comparable day last year. The site's NBA section through Game Four was averaging 5.6 million page views, a 92% gain over '07 (THE DAILY). The chart below lists game-by-game ratings and viewers for the NBA Finals, as well as the four-game average, with comparisons to last season's Spurs-Cavaliers matchup (THE DAILY).

NBA FINALS RATINGS ON ABC: '08 VS. '07
GM
DATE
DAY
RAT.
% +/-
VIEWERS (000)
% +/-
1
6/5
Thurs.
8.7
38.1%
13,384
45.4%
2
6/8
Sun.
8.5
51.8%
13,491
57.8%
3
6/10
Tue.
9.2
43.8%
14,509
52.9%
4
6/12
Thus.
8.7
33.8%
13,762
40.4%
FOUR-GAME AVG.
8.8
41.9%
13,791
48.4%

FINALS FAILING TO LAUNCH: In Dallas, Barry Horn wrote ESPN/ABC and the NBA "dreamed of a return to double-digit ratings" with Lakers-Celtics, but the numbers "have been a disappointment." Horn: "America knew Michael Jordan. Apparently, [Lakers G] Kobe Bryant is no Michael Jordan" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 6/14). NBA Commissioner David Stern said, "We think we have a bigger audience overall. The ratings for network television in the last four years are down 20[%] -- that's for all network TV -- and it would be unusual for sports in entirety if it were not down. We're up this year. But that doesn't [mean] we won't be down next year" (SI.com, 6/13).

Related Stories By Company Related Stories By Sport
Ad Sales Down For Sports Properties
November 19, 2008 : SportsBusiness Daily

ESPN-BCS Deal Could Set Cable Trend
November 19, 2008 : SportsBusiness Daily

X Games Logo Alleged To Violate Trademark
November 19, 2008 : SportsBusiness Daily

Sports Brands On "Marketing 50" List
November 19, 2008 : SportsBusiness Daily

ESPN Gains BCS Rights As Fox Drops Out
November 18, 2008 : SportsBusiness Daily

T-Mobile Debuts Latest Barkley/Wade Ad
November 21, 2008 : SportsBusiness Daily

T'Wolves Struggling In Post-Garnett Era
November 21, 2008 : SportsBusiness Daily

Bobcats Want To See More Of Jordan
November 21, 2008 : SportsBusiness Daily

Ad Sales Down For Sports Properties
November 19, 2008 : SportsBusiness Daily

SEC Suit Could Affect Cuban's Sports Deals
November 18, 2008 : SportsBusiness Daily

ALSO IN THIS SECTION


A Publication of Street & Smith's Sports Group
Privacy Policy - Terms of Service
© 2008 Street & Smith's Sports Group
All Rights Reserved