• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, July 30, 2025
Tuned In returns to NYC on September 16. Hear from the biggest names in sports media. Click here to get your spot

Why Pacers Game 3 Win Could Help Reverse NBA Ratings Trend

The Thunder are still favored to win the series, but the line is down to -220 from -525 before Game 3.

Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

INDIANAPOLIS — “Pacers in five! Pacers in five!” shouted some Indiana fans, perhaps with the rush of adrenaline and some liquid courage, within the halls of Gainbridge Fieldhouse moments after Indiana took a 2–1 series lead in the NBA Finals.

The bold prediction was not as prevalently expressed around the streets of Indianapolis just a few hours before Game 3. But on Wednesday night, the Pacers are now just two wins away from clinching the 2025 NBA Finals, which was once considered one of the most lopsided in history.

Indiana, however, is still not favored to win despite a 2–1 lead and home court advantage. DraftKings has the Pacers at +185 to win the series, while the Thunder are -220, essentially 2-to-1 favorites. But that’s a far cry from -700 before Game 1 and -525 before Game 3.

This series is officially competitive—and that’s a win for the Pacers, the NBA, and particularly ESPN/Disney.

Ratings Recovery?

The 2025 NBA Finals viewership hit a historic low through the first two games. The series has lacked the ingredients to attract viewers: big market franchises, marketable stars (even with 2025 MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander), and an ostensibly competitive series.

The first two games have averaged about 8.84 million viewers, down around 30% from last year’s series between the Luka Dončić–led Mavericks and Jayson Tatum–led Celtics. That number is less than half of the first two games of the 2018 Finals, the last time Steph Curry and the Warriors played LeBron James and the Lakers.

It’s unlikely Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton will achieve the stardom of their predecessors, at least within this 2025 Finals. (NBA commissioner Adam Silver essentially admitted so himself before Game 1.) But a more competitive series at least provides one of the ingredients needed to pull more fans and perhaps bridge the gap with last year’s numbers.

A competitive series also means a longer one—and volume is a win for ESPN, the league’s NBA Finals broadcast partner. Even with low ratings, nearly 9 million viewers per game is a massive number for a live TV broadcast (outside of the NFL, at least). This series is guaranteed to last five games and will likely push to at least six.

Other Winners

A longer series also means additional gate revenue for both teams. The average purchase price for the NBA Finals before the series started was $1,147, per TickPick. While that’s down 25% from last year—when games were played in Dallas and Boston—an extra game still means tens of millions of revenue for both the Thunder and Pacers from tickets, merchandise, and concession sales. 

Players looking to boost their stock also have more opportunities with the additional games. Game 3 hero Bennedict Mathurin is extension-eligible this summer, and his performances could make him more valuable, even though Indiana is already expected to enter the luxury tax for the first time in two decades.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Jul 15, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) reacts to the crowd as they take on the Connecticut Sun in the first quarter at TD Garden.

WNBA Viewership Up Across All Networks Compared to 2024

Non-Fever games are up 37% compared to the full 2024 season.

Shannon Sharpe Out at ESPN Following Rape Suit Settlement

He’s been off-air since April, planning to return for the NFL season.
Marcus Morris

Marcus Morris Denies Fraud, Blames Mixup for $260K Casino Debt Arrest

Morris made roughly $107 million across 13 NBA seasons.
Moe Wagner

NBA Adding European Games As It Explores New League

The Magic and Grizzlies will play in Berlin and London in January 2026. 

Featured Today

Las Vegas sign

College Sports Embracing Vegas After Years of Cold Shoulder

The Big Ten became the latest newcomer to Sin City.
2000, Jupiter, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Montreal Expos pitcher Hideki Irabu in action on the mound against the New York Mets at Roger Dean Stadium during Spring Training
July 28, 2025

Dead Sports Franchises Are Alive and Well on Twitter

The Expos, Sonics, and Whalers have active social media accounts.
Limited Hype
July 27, 2025

Sneaker Reselling Was Once Easy Money. Success Is Now Complicated

Vendors need to evolve what they’re selling and how they do it.
HAPPY GILMORE 2. BTS - (L to R) Adam Sandler as Happy Gilmore and Rory McIlroy as himself on the set of Happy Gilmore2.
July 26, 2025

‘Cool As Hell’: How ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ Hooked Golf’s Top Stars

The process was “cool as hell,” Adam Sandler tells FOS.

Sophie Cunningham Gets Podcast With Cowherd’s Volume, Continuing Breakout

Cunningham’s podcast deal is the latest in a breakout summer.
opinion
July 28, 2025

Why Rumors Nick Saban Could Leave ESPN for Coaching Aren’t Crazy

Saban has not fully ruled out a coaching comeback as rumors swirl.
July 29, 2025

NFL Insiders Delivered Crucial Updates Around Midtown Shooting

Top NFL reporters reached sources at the scene of the shooting.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Sports personality Stephen A. Smith arrives before the CFP National Championship college football game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Ohio State Buckeyes at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
opinion
July 24, 2025

Why Stephen A. Smith Could Succeed in Dwindling Late-Night TV Era

The face of “First Take” has shown interest in talk-show hosting.
exclusive
July 23, 2025

ESPN Locks in Bulk of Bill Belichick’s First UNC Season

The network’s ACC media rights deal will pay off this season.
Mar 29, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; View of a camera with a Fox Sports logo before the game between the Houston Astros and the New York Mets at Daikin Park.
exclusive
July 23, 2025

Parkins Joins Expanded ‘First Things First’ As FS1 Completes Transition

He’ll join Nick Wright, Chris Broussard, and Kevin Wildes.
Oklahoma City, OK - June 22, 2025 - Paycom Center: Iman Shumpert courtside for Hoop Streams during game seven of the 2025 NBA Finals.
July 22, 2025

ESPN’s Playoff Surprise: Spotlight Turns Shumpert Into Hot Prospect

After his impressive ESPN postseason coverage, Shumpert is a coveted free agent.