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The returns for Game 1’s viewership numbers show that the Knicks and Spurs may have provided the NBA with the recipe to rejuvenate its Finals viewership.
Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs drew 16.93 million viewers on ABC, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel data. It’s the most-watched NBA Finals game since Game 6 of the 2019 Finals between the Raptors and Warriors (18.34 million) and the most-watched finals opener since 2018 between the Warriors and Cavaliers (17.56 million).
This year’s opener also saw a 90% increase over last year’s Game 1 between the Thunder and Pacers (10.2 million).
NBA Finals viewership has lagged in recent years since the height of this century’s viewership was carried by Cleveland and Golden State and their respective stars, LeBron James and Stephen Curry. Last year’s finals between Oklahoma City and Indiana, two small markets, was one of the least-watched in history, drawing 10.3 million viewers over seven games.
But signs were pointing toward a strong 2026 Finals series.
The NBA, as with all sports leagues, has benefited from changes in Nielsen’s measurement system. The company has included out-of-home viewers since 2020, but fully integrated the additional measurements last year.
The changes helped the NBA draw 16% more viewers in the regular season. The league also added two new media partners in NBC and Amazon, with the former’s free TV and streaming offerings significantly driving regular-season viewership.
Then came the Western Conference Finals on ABC. The Spurs beat the Thunder in a seven-game series that aired on NBC and which drew 10.83 million viewers, more than last year’s NBA Finals.
In the Eastern Conference, New York only drew 7.4 million viewers for their series against the Cavs, though that was affected by the lopsided four-game sweep. The Knicks have garnered significant buzz for this series given it’s the franchise’s first NBA Finals run since 1999—when they lost to San Antonio.
The get-in ticket price for Game 3 at Madison Square Garden has climbed to $8,000 since the Knicks’ Game 1 win, and President Donald Trump said he will be attending the game.
Game 2 between the Knicks and Spurs is Friday in San Antonio.
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