or


[06/01/11 - 08:56 AM]
NBA Finals Game 1 on ABC Delivers Highest Overnight Rating Since 2004
ESPN spins the numbers for its NBA coverage on ABC for Tuesday, May 31.

[via press release from ESPN]

NBA Finals Game 1 on ABC Delivers Highest Overnight Rating Since 2004

The NBA Finals Game 1 on ABC - in which Miami defeated Dallas 92-84 - generated a 10.7 overnight rating, the highest for a Game 1 of The Finals since 2004 (Detroit Pistons at Los Angeles Lakers, 11.5 overnight rating), according to Nielsen.

The 10.7 overnight rating is up 15 percent compared to Game 1 of the 2006 NBA Finals (9.3 overnight rating), when these same two teams played. Additionally, last night's overnight rating is up three percent compared to a 10.4 overnight rating for last year's Game 1 between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics.

In Miami, the top-rated metered market, the game delivered a 31.9 rating, an increase of 28 percent compared to a 24.9 rating locally for Game 1 in 2006. Dallas, ranked second among the metered markets, netted a 29.9 rating, the highest-rated game locally since the 2006 Finals.

The Finals on ABC continue with Game 2 tomorrow, Thursday, June 2, at 9 p.m. ET. Mike Breen calls The Finals on ABC with analysts Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy and reporter Doris Burke. The Finals are also available on ESPN Radio (Mike Tirico and Hall of Famers Dr. Jack Ramsay and Hubie Brown) and ESPN 3D (Mark Jones and Bruce Bowen for Game 2). Coverage will begin with the Buick Regal NBA Countdown pregame show at 8:30 p.m., hosted by Stuart Scott with Hall of Famer Magic Johnson and analysts Jon Barry and Michael Wilbon.

Quick Take for Tuesday, May 31, 2011 (National Live + Same Day Program Ratings)

With Coverage of the 2011 NBA Finals Game 1, ABC Ranks No. 1 On Tuesday in Young Adults and Across All Key Men Demographics

ABC Scores its Best-Ever Primetime Results with the Opening Night of The Finals

ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" Generates Broad Primetime Exposure, Up by 106% In Viewers and by 120% in Adults 18-49 Over its Late-Night Season Averages

Miami-Dallas 2011 NBA Finals Game 1 Tops the Primetime Landscape, Standing as Tuesday's No. 1 TV Program Among All Key Adult Demographics

Game 1 of 2011 Qualifies as the Strongest Start to the NBA Finals in 7 Years with Viewers and Adults 18-49, and ABC's Highest-Ever with Adults 18-34 and Men 18-34

Tuesday Night (8:00-11:00 p.m.)

With coverage of the 2011 NBA Finals Game 1 between the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks, ABC finished No. 1 on Tuesday night among Adults 18-49 (4.5/13-tie). The Net also led the night with Adults 18-34 and across all key Men (M18-34/M18-49/M25-54), beating NBC with its 2-hour season premiere of "America's Got Talent" leading into "The Voice."

· Building over last year's numbers with the opening night of the high-rated 2010 Lakers-Celtics NBA Finals (Lakers-Celtics on 6/3/10) in Total Viewers (10.9 million vs. 10.7 million) and Adults 18-49 (4.5/13 vs. 4.1/14), ABC posted its best-ever primetime results with Game 1 of The Finals - ABC began carriage of the NBA Finals in 2003.

"Jimmy Kimmel Live Game Night 1" (Various Time Periods)

Airing around the NBA Finals in various time periods across the country, the "Jimmy Kimmel Live Game Night" special generated broad exposure for the ABC late-night talker in primetime. On average, "JKL Game Night" shot up by 106% in Total Viewers (3.5 million vs. 1.7 million) and by 120% in Adults 18-49 (1.1/4 vs. 0.5/3) over the show's 2010-11 TV Season average in late night.

"2011 NBA Finals Game 1" (8:59 - 11:51 p.m. E.T.)

Featuring the Dallas Mavericks at the Miami Heat, ABC's 2011 NBA Finals Game 1 beat out its primetime competition and finished as Tuesday's definitive No. 1 TV program across each of the key Adult demographics: A18-34 (6.8/21), A18-49 (6.5/18) and A25-54 (6.5/16). Miami won the opening game of the series by a score of 92-84 to lead the best-of-seven series 1-0.

· Game 1 of the 2011 Finals was up solidly over the first game of last year's Lakers-Celtics matchup in viewers (+8% - 15.2 million vs. 14.1 million) and young adults (+14% - 6.5/18 vs. 5.7/18). In addition, the 2011 opener surged by wide margins from the last time the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks met in The Finals, jumping 32% in Total Viewers and 35% in Adults 18-49 over the opening game of 2006 (11.5 million and 4.8/15 on 6/8/06).

· In Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, Game 1 of the 2011 NBA Finals qualified as the strongest start to the series in 7 years - since 2004 (Lakers-Pistons). In addition, ABC marked its highest-ever Game 1 numbers with Adults 18-34 (6.8/21) and Men 18-34 (9.0/28) - since beginning carriage in 2003.

· Game 1 of the 2011 NBA Finals delivered a 31.9 Household rating in Miami and a 29.9 rating in Dallas.

Source: The Nielsen Company (National, Live + Same Day Program Ratings), 5/31/11. Metered Market averages based on Local People Meter data for 5/31/11.





  [june 2011]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





most recent ratings | view all posts
[10/03/25 - 02:17 PM]
ESPN's Record-Setting '25 MLB Wild Card Series
Across eight games, the MLB Wild Card Series is averaging 4.4 million viewers, up 65% from last year.

[10/03/25 - 12:07 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Continues to Shatter Records - Growing Two Weeks in a Row Since Season Premiere for First Time Since 2005
Plus: "High Potential" hit a season high in Total Viewers (4.24 million), growing by double digits over the show's comparable third episode from last fall.

[10/02/25 - 04:09 PM]
ESPN Delivers the Most-Watched WNBA Semifinals Ever
Game 5 between the Indiana Fever and the Las Vegas Aces averaged 1.8 million viewers, peaking at 2.1 million.

[10/02/25 - 02:51 PM]
ESPN's Record-Setting Day One of MLB Wild Card Series
Coverage of Red Sox versus Yankees averaged 6.5 million viewers, peaking at 9.9 million.

[10/02/25 - 11:00 AM]
"Survivor" and "The Amazing Race" Season Premieres Hit Their Largest 3-Day Streaming Viewerships Ever
The "Survivor" season 49 premiere grew to 6.83 million viewers with three days of multiplatform viewership; while "The Amazing Race" season 38 premiere grew to 4.01 million viewers.

[10/02/25 - 09:38 AM]
"Celebrity Wheel of Fortune" Scores on Friday Nights with Biggest Total Viewer Audience in Nearly Two Years
"Celebrity Wheel of Fortune" stood as the No. 1 program of the night, rising by double digits in Total Viewers over its previous season premiere.

[10/01/25 - 10:27 AM]
"Big Brother" Season Finale Is Most-Watched Episode in Over Three Years
The finale was up +33% from its year ago finale and up +33% from this season's average.

[09/30/25 - 03:44 PM]
ESPN and ABC Win College Football's Week 5; "College GameDay's" Most-Viewed Season Rolls On
ABC is off to its best start ever with 7.1 million average viewers per game, and the network has aired eight of the top 10 most-viewed games this season.

[09/30/25 - 02:08 PM]
Packers-Cowboys OT Thriller Averages 26.9 Million Viewers on NBC & Peacock, As NBC Sports Opens with Best Four-Week Audience Average in 20 Seasons of NBC "SNF"
The audience peaked at 29.9 million viewers in the second quarter (9-9:15 p.m. ET).

[09/30/25 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10 Week of September 22: "Wayward" Lures Viewers at No. 1, "KPop Demon Hunters" Sets Top 10 Record
New on Netflix this week is "House of Guinness," a historical drama series created by Steven Knight, which debuted at No. 3 on the English TV list with 5.2 million views.

[09/30/25 - 10:24 AM]
"High Potential" Season Premiere Vaults to Nearly 16 Million in First Week Across Platforms
This marks ABC's best season premiere for a drama among Total Viewers in five years.

[09/29/25 - 06:06 AM]
ESPN's 2025 MLB Game Viewership Up 21 Percent from Last Year
Coverage delivered 1.8 million viewers on average across 30 games this season.

[09/26/25 - 01:11 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Week Two Delivers Over 5 Million Total Viewers Rising Over Season Premiere for First Time in 14 Years
Once again, the show led its time period and stood as the No. 1 show of the night in Total Viewers (5.46 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.02 rating).

[09/25/25 - 02:05 PM]
Viewers Have Watched More Than 8 Billion Minutes of "Big Brother" This Summer - Up +27% from Last Year
Multiplatform average episode viewership grew to 5.1 million, up +23% versus last year in 35-days of viewing, outpacing the competition.

[09/24/25 - 02:47 PM]
"Jimmy Kimmel Live" Returned on Tuesday to 6.26 Million Total Viewers on Broadcast, According to Initial Live+Same Day Measurement
In addition to linear ratings, the monologue has garnered more than 26 million views across YouTube and social platforms.