• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, November 5, 2024
The Best Employers in Sports survey is open through Nov. 6 Learn More

ESPN, ABC Set NBA Playoff Ratings Record, TNT Nets Most-Watched Since 2014

  • Broadcasts through the first two rounds have been the most-watched ever on ESPN platforms.
  • Sunday’s Celtics-76ers game on ABC was the most-watched Semifinals Game 7 on any network since 2008.
NBA playoff games are averaging 5.2 million viewers on ESPN platforms.
Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

This year’s first two rounds of the NBA Playoffs have been ratings hits for ESPN and TNT.

Across 27 NBA Playoff games on ESPN platforms (including ABC), broadcasts are averaging 5.2 million viewers, making it the most-watched NBA Playoffs ever on ESPN platforms and a 14% viewership increase over last year’s coverage. 

ABC’s telecast of the Boston Celtics’ 24-point Game 7 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday delivered the network’s largest NBA conference semifinals audience since 2011. It was also the most-watched conference semifinal game on any network since 2008, with 8,441,000 average viewers and peaking at 10,165,000 viewers. 

TNT’s NBA playoff broadcasts have been its most-watched since 2014, per Sports TV Ratings. Through two rounds, games on TNT are averaging 4.1 million viewers—a 10% increase over last year. The second-round games alone on TNT averaged 5.3 million viewers, the most for the network since 2012 and a 16% jump over last year.

Disney’s ESPN/ABC and Warner Bros. Discovery’s TNT will look to retain NBA rights once the league’s current media rights deals expire after the 2024-25 season. The NBA will seek a combined $50 billion to $75 billion in rights fees, with potential suitors also expected to span NBC Sports, Amazon, Apple, and Google/YouTube.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Donald Trump

ESPN Will Drop First 12-Team CFP Rankings in Heart of Election Night

The network traditionally hasn’t shied away from going up against election coverage.

Embiid’s Clash With Reporter Sparks NBA Probe, Concerns for Sixers

The former NBA Most Valuable Player angrily confronts and shoves a local columnist.
Adam Schefter

Adam Schefter Uses Same Pirated NFL Clips As Everyone Else

ESPN’s NFL insider posted a video from an illegal stream Thursday night.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

NFL Teams Face Crossroads at Season’s Halfway Point

0:00

Featured Today

NFL Center Connor McGovern Is the Heir to a Potato Empire

The NFL vet’s family provides potatoes for McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and others.
Vanderbilt Commodores fans head to the south end zone as the goal post is taken down by exuberant fans after beating No. 1 Alabama 40-35 at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024.
opinion
November 2, 2024

Something New in College Football This Year: Parity

Upsets, surprises. CFB is more fun on the field than the NFL.
Sep 28, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; GOP Presidential candidate Donald Trump waves flanked by former Georgia Bulldogs player Herschel Walker, recording art Kid Rock, professional golfer John Daily, Alabama senators Tommy Tuberville (R) and Katie Britt (R) during the second half of the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
November 1, 2024

Mission Swing State: College Football’s Political Advertising Battle

Trump, Harris, and the PACs that support them are utilizing the sport.
October 31, 2024

The Untapped Revenue ‘Powder Keg’ of Women’s NFL Fandom

There’s a “boatload” of money at stake for brands and the league.

Sports Drive Fox Corp.’s Revenue Despite Election Ad Overload

The Fox Sports parent posted increases in revenue and earnings.
Fubo-TV
November 1, 2024

Fubo Reports 9% Subscriber Growth As Venu Sports Trial Looms

The sports-focused streamer grew revenue by 21%.
Tom Brady
November 4, 2024

Tom Brady Won’t Be Punished for Criticizing Packers-Lions Ejection

The “Brady Rules” faced their biggest test so far after Sunday’s broadcast.
Sponsored

World Series Delivers High-Demand Marquee Matchup

The hype around the World Series matchup drove ticket prices to record levels—but the Dodgers’ dominance quickly quieted the fervor.
October 31, 2024

World Series Delivers 7-Year Ratings Record, Marking MLB’s Big Comeback

Viewership of the five-game win by the Dodgers soared by 74% over last year.
October 31, 2024

Comcast’s Olympic Gold: Paris Games Spark Surge in Peacock Subscribers

Company revenue and Peacock subscriptions rise thanks to a big Olympics boost.
October 30, 2024

World Series Game 4 Draws 16.7M Viewers, Up 92% From 2023

The average audience of 16.7 million nearly doubles the comparable figure from last year.
October 30, 2024

Controversy, Championship Battles Keep F1 Viewers Tuned In

Lando Norris and Max Verstappen had a controversial encounter again Sunday.