ABC averaged 9.9 million viewers for its NBA Christmas Day doubleheader, marking the second-best Christmas Day audience ever, behind only 10.9 million viewers for last year’s doubleheader. The net’s Bulls-Lakers matchup in the 5:30pm ET window topped all Christmas Day NBA games with 11.0 million viewers, marking the net’s third-largest NBA audience ever, behind only last year’s Heat-Lakers Christmas matchup and Heat-Lakers from Christmas ’04. TNT averaged 5.9 million viewers for Celtics-Knicks in the 12:00pm window marking the most-viewed NBA Christmas Day game ever on cable TV and fourth-largest NBA regular-season game audience ever on cable. ESPN primetime slate of Magic-Thunder and Clippers-Warriors also saw big viewership gains vs. ’10 (Austin Karp, THE DAILY). USA TODAY's Michael Hiestand writes with "strong teams in several big markets and a national TV draw in the Miami Heat, having the New York Knicks provide a winner in the Big Apple has to top the league's wish list." A "key question" for NBA ratings is whether Heat F LeBron James can "keep playing the mediagenic villain who draws viewers" (USA TODAY, 12/27).
| NBA CHRISTMAS DAY GAMES |
| WINDOW (ET) | '11
MATCHUP | NET | VIEWERS (000) | '10
MATCHUP | VIEWERS (000) | % +/- |
| 12:00pm | Celtics-Knicks | TNT | 5,900 | Bulls-Knicks (ESPN) | 4,017 | 46.9% |
| 2:30pm | Heat-Mavericks | ABC | 9,000 | Celtics-Magic | 8,680 | 3.7% |
| 5:30pm | Bulls-Lakers | ABC | 11,000 | Heat-Lakers | 13,113 | -16.1% |
| 8:00pm | Magic-Thunder | ESPN | 2,600 | Nuggets-
Thunder | 2,028 | 28.2% |
| 10:30pm | Clippers-Warriors | ESPN | 3,000 | Trail Blazers-Warriors | 1,725 | 73.9% |
| | | | | | | |
CAN'T ESCAPE THE LOCKOUT: FOXSPORTS.com's Brian Lowry wrote the NBA broadcasters "couldn't completely ignore the lockout" during Sunday's games. TNT's Marv Albert noted the "'condensed season' or 'compressed season' ... has consequences regarding how well teams, especially those with veteran rosters, will hold up." ABC's Mike Breen said, "There's gonna be some ugly play." Lowry noted the "flurry of trades and personnel moves helped announcers spin the discussion forward instead of looking back." The NBA "didn't leave much to chance, incorporating image-building messages throughout -- such as players handing out gifts to underprivileged kids -- seeking to ensure people feel good about the game again" (
FOXSPORTS.com, 12/26).
VAN GUNDY WANTS A DISCOUNT ON LEAGUE PASS: ABC’s Breen during the second quarter of the Heat-Mavericks game read a promo for the NBA League Pass that solicited an interesting response from analyst Jeff Van Gundy. Van Gundy said, “I haven’t ordered mine, but I’m interested -- are they going to cut down the price because there’s less games? That’s what I want to know as a customer before I order.” Breen said, “We’ll see if we can find out that information for you.” Van Gundy: “I think the answer is no because I called my local cable company, and I think we should rethink that if you’re DirecTV. Shouldn’t I get a proportional discount?” Breen: “I agree.” Van Gundy: “Twenty-percent less games, 20% less cost.” Van Gundy later said, “They just want their money, which I understand. But I just want my product” (“Heat-Mavericks,” ABC, 12/25). The League Pass this year costs $169 and includes broadband and mobile services. The service cost $189 for the ’10-11 season and did not include either of the other two services (THE DAILY).
LOOKING OUT OF MARKET: In N.Y., Claire Atkinson reported Time Warner Cable is "making plans to appease basketball fans" by offering the NBA League Pass for free until Jan. 8 "even if its carriage dispute with Madison Square Garden deprives them of Knicks games." However, League Pass will not allow N.Y. residents "to see the Knicks, since only out-of-market games are accessible" (N.Y. POST, 12/23).
