or


[06/14/16 - 07:31 AM]
NBA Finals on ABC: Matches Last Year as Highest-Rated Game 5 Since 2004
ESPN spins the numbers for Monday, June 13.

[via press release from ESPN]

NBA Finals on ABC: Matches Last Year as Highest-Rated Game 5 Since 2004

· Most-Watched NBA Game Ever on WatchESPN Across Metrics

· The NBA Finals on ABC Expected to Win the Night Across Television for 53rd Consecutive Time

Last night's NBA Finals Game 5 - the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Golden State Warriors by 15 points (112-97) - matched last year's Game 5 with a 14.2 overnight rating, according to Nielsen. This is the highest-rated Game 5 since 2004 (Detroit Pistons-L.A. Lakers clincher, 15.5).

The telecast peaked with a 16.2 overnight rating from 11:30-11:45 p.m. ET. The NBA Finals on ABC is expected to win the night across all of television for the 53rd consecutive time.

WatchESPN Records

Monday's NBA Finals Game 5 was the most-watched NBA game ever on WatchESPN across metrics. It generated a record 1,187,000 million unique viewers, an average minute audience of 380,000 viewers and approximately 67 million total minutes streamed.

Top local markets on ABC: Game 5
Market Rating
Cleveland 38.5
San Francisco-Oakland* 36.9
Sacramento 20.4
Miami 20.1
Columbus 19.6
Memphis 19.4
Atlanta 19.1
San Antonio 18.0
Portland 17.5
Birmingham 16.4

*The 36.9 rating in San Francisco-Oakland is the second-highest rated NBA game ever in the market on ABC.

The 2016 NBA Finals on ABC will continue with Game 6 on Thursday, June 16, 2016, at 9 p.m. ET (coverage starting at 8:30 p.m.). The NBA Finals is also available on ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN and ESPN Radio.

Second-Most Watched NBA Finals Ever on ABC Through Five Games

· Game 5 Averages 20.5 Million Viewers, Peaks with Nearly 24 Million Viewers

· The NBA Finals on ABC Wins the Night for the 53rd Consecutive Time

The 2016 NBA Finals is the second-most watched ever on ABC through five games, according to Nielsen. The series is averaging 18,029,000 viewers (p2+).

Last night's Game 5 averaged 20,528,000 viewers and peaked with nearly 24 million viewers (23,967,000) from 11:15-11:30 p.m. ET.

The NBA Finals on ABC won the night across all of television for the 53rd consecutive time.

For Game 5 metered market ratings, local ratings and digital information, please visit ESPN Media Zone for today's earlier press release.

The 2016 NBA Finals on ABC will continue with Game 6 on Thursday, June 16, 2016, at 9 p.m. ET (coverage starting at 8:30 p.m.). The NBA Finals is also available on ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN and ESPN Radio.





  [june 2016]  
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
[09/10/26 - 11:02 AM]
Wisconsin-Notre Dame on NBC & Peacock Is NBC Sports' Third-Most Watched Notre Dame Football Game Since 2005, Averaging 8.1 Million Viewers
The audience for the No. 4 Fighting Irish's 41-13 victory peaked at 9.7 million viewers in the second quarter (9:15-9:30 p.m. ET) as Notre Dame led 13-10.

[09/09/26 - 03:52 PM]
"College GameDay" Wins Week 1 With Top-Three Regular Season Show on Record
Coverage of Clemson/LSU was the top Saturday game of Week 1.

[09/09/26 - 03:30 PM]
ESPN's US Open Coverage Is Most-Viewed Since 2022 Through Third Round
The full-tournament average so far is up 5% over 2025 and the most viewed since 2022, the year of Serena Williams' final match before her return this year.

[09/09/26 - 12:01 PM]
Top 10 Most-Watched Prime Original Films & Series for the Week of August 31
"Reacher," "Sterling Point," "Off Campus," "The Grand Tour," and "The Traitors" led all original series worldwide.

[09/08/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of August 31 - "The Whisper Man" Tracks Down No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
"Death of the Pastor's Wife" held the top spot of the English TV list with 13.9 million views.

[09/08/26 - 10:09 AM]
FOX MLB Posts Best Regular Season Thursday Night Baseball Telecast Since 2022
2,668,000 viewers tuned-in to FOX Thursday for a two-game slate highlighted by the Cubs' 2-1 win over the Brewers in most of the country.

[09/08/26 - 10:02 AM]
ESPN Studio Lineup Continues 2026 Momentum with Record August Audiences
As a year-long pattern of strong viewership continued, multiple programs delivered their best August viewership on record, while overall studio show audiences increased 13% year over year.

[09/04/26 - 11:49 AM]
ABC News Wins Friday Night and Late Night
"20/20" posted double-digit gains week to week in Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49, hitting 6-week highs in both measures.

[09/02/26 - 12:01 PM]
Top 10 Most-Watched Prime Original Films & Series for the Week of August 24
"Reacher," "Sterling Point," "Off Campus," "Ride or Die," and "The Traitors" led all original series worldwide.

[09/02/26 - 08:37 AM]
New Mexico State at Florida State Delivers The CW's Most-Watched Sports Broadcast in Network History
Viewership peaked at 2.4 million total viewers from 9:15-9:30pm ET as the Florida State Seminoles defeated the New Mexico State Aggies 34-17.

[09/01/26 - 04:00 PM]
2026 Little League Baseball World Series Delivered Largest Audience Since 2015
The Championship Game between CuraƧao and Henderson, Nevada, averaged 2.9M viewers on ABC, up 21% year over year.

[09/01/26 - 03:16 PM]
FOX IndyCar Continues Viewership Momentum
950,000 viewers watched Arrow McLaren driver Pato O'Ward deliver the first of two victories from the Milwaukee Mile Sunday on FOX.

[09/01/26 - 03:01 PM]
FOX Saturday Baseball Is No. 1 Among All Networks
3,161,000 viewers tuned-in for a two-game slate highlighted by the Yankees' 9-2 win over the Red Sox in most of the country.

[09/01/26 - 02:54 PM]
ESPN Delivers Top Games in College Football's Week 0
4.9 million viewers tuned into the North Carolina Tar Heels defeat the TCU Horned Frogs in Dublin, Ireland.

[09/01/26 - 02:28 PM]
Players Era Volleyball Showcase Serves Second Most-Watched Volleyball Telecast Ever on FOX
1,040,000 viewers watched Nebraska beat Texas Sunday afternoon on FOX.