TV ratings up 17 percent for Game 1

[ginobili's bald spot]

NEW YORK -- The opener of the Celtics-Lakers NBA Finals matched the teams' meeting two years ago for the highest preliminary rating for a Game 1 since 2004.

Los Angeles' 102-89 win Thursday night on ABC earned a 10.4 overnight rating, up 17 percent from the 8.9 for last year's Magic-Lakers series.

Ratings measure the percentage of all homes with televisions tuned into a program. Overnight ratings represent the country's largest markets.
http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=5252387


So much for the theory that "no one cares about another Lakers Celtics matchup".

[resistanze]

Was that actually a theory?

[dav4463]

Just because ratings are higher does not mean it is better. After all, Justin Bieber and Britney Spears have sold more records (or cd's) than the The Who or The Rolling Stones! It's all about the hype.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Just because ratings are higher does not mean it is better. After all, Justin Bieber and Britney Spears have sold more records (or cd's) than the The Who or The Rolling Stones! It's all about the hype.


I have a hard time believing Justin Beaver has already sold more CDs than the rolling stones.

[silverblk mystix]

there is NO way that any company can accurately MEASURE---who is or is not watching at any given time---unless your tv set has been fitted with some measuring device.

this is just the media telling YOU what you should BE WATCHING---so that they can continue to sell you whatever they want to sell you.

[Giuseppe]

^I used to think the same thing about exit polling, but, it's never wrong.

[easy7]

WWE ratings are also up, I guess other NBA fans like wrestling,

[birdy219]

Well, the ratings are up, but it is not because of me. I watched 30 secs. just to see if my theory was right. It was; so I stopped watching. I told my son that if joe crawford was reffing game 1 then stern had determined that the lakers would win this year and that if it was dan crawford; it would be the celtics. Theory proven; 40+ year nba fan not watching.

[redzero]

What would have been more interesting? Magic-Suns? Yeah, for people in Arizona and Florida, I'm sure it would have been.

[Truckules]

What would have been more interesting? Magic-Suns? Yeah, for people in Arizona and Florida, I'm sure it would have been.

I wanted Suns-Celtics, but I would've watched Magic-Suns. Those were the two most unpredictable match-ups. A rematch of last year's Finals would've been the worst. It just seems so predictable for Celtics-Lakers. LA is gonna get another championship, and I'll have to listen to fucking Laker fans for another year.

[BlackSwordsMan]

when the celtics are in the finals ratings automatically go up

[namlook]

Just because ratings are higher does not mean it is better. After all, Justin Bieber and Britney Spears have sold more records (or cd's) than the The Who or The Rolling Stones! It's all about the hype.

This is a really bad analogy. 2010 is only one year removed from 2009. Even 2004 is only 6 years ago. The Who and Rolling Stones were at their peak in the 60s and 70s. We are talking 30-40 years ago. They are a completely different generation than Justin Bieber and Britney Spears.

The population is much higher now and there is more media coverage, internet etc. So of course things will be hyped more. If we had the same population, the internet and all the media coverage in the 60's and 70's the Who and Stones sales would be much higher.

[Muser]

lol Bieber more record sales than RS.

[duncan228]

Game 2 earns best preliminary rating since 2004 (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-nbafinals-ratings)

The Celtics’ series-tying win earned the highest preliminary rating for Game 2 of an NBA finals since 2004.

Boston’s 103-94 victory Sunday night on ABC drew a 10.9 overnight rating. That’s up 10 percent from the 9.9 for last year’s Magic-Lakers Game 2.

Ratings measure the percentage of all homes with televisions tuned into a program. Overnight ratings represent the country’s largest markets.

[Jacob1983]

I wouldn't brag about the ratings just yet. Besides, you have to look at it closely. The ratings for the Finals sucked ass from 2003 to 2007(excluding 2004) because the Spurs played in 3 of those Finals and the Mavs also played in one of those. The Spurs and I can admit that the Mavs both brought the ratings down during that period. The ratings were so low that any type of improvement would be a success. Britney Spears is a terrible singer but she's great at selling CDs and records. And with all the technology that is out, people are not going to watch the Finals that much on their TV. When you have DVR, the internet, cell phones, Ipads, etc.., it's gonna decrease the amount of people sitting down and watching a tv.

[duncan228]

Game 4 earns best preliminary rating since 2004 (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-nbafinals-ratings)

The Celtics’ series-tying win earned the highest preliminary rating for Game 4 of an NBA finals since 2004.

Boston’s 96-89 victory over the Lakers on Thursday night on ABC drew an 11.6 overnight rating. That’s up 6 percent from the 10.9 for last year’s Orlando-LA Game 4.

This series has also been drawing higher ratings than the Celtics-Lakers matchup in 2008. The numbers have been the best since the Detroit-LA series six years ago. Game 4 that year earned a 14.5 overnight rating.

Ratings measure the percentage of all homes with televisions tuned into a program. Overnight ratings represent the country’s largest markets.

[dbestpro]

NBA is still in the tank. The product has been in a decline since 98 when it was at 18% with American audiences.

The NBA Finals Game 4 went the Celtics way and, of course, the Thursday ratings went ABC’s way, but the game’s primetime adults 18-49 ratings were down slightly from Game 4 last season.

http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/06/11/tv-ratings-thursday-nba-finals-game-4-down-slightly-vs-last-year/53788

[Man In Black]

WGAF. It's a by product of players from a large media market in the finals because the NBA doesn't know how to promote team over individuals. That is all. When the Spurs played New Jersey, the NBA hoped that the Nets would carry the New York Market, it didn't happen.

Look at the NFL, they promote teams. So even if say, Atlanta is in the Super Bowl, the casual fan will watch that team play.

Oh and that last game was badly played as any Spurs perceived boring games, but the teams get a pass because it's LA & Boston. Double-standard in effect.

[duncan228]

TV ratings down from last Celtics-Lakers Game 6 (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-nbafinals-ratings)

Television ratings for Game 6 of the NBA finals were down from the last one between the Lakers and Celtics, which was also a blowout but crowned a champion.

Los Angeles’ 89-67 win Tuesday on ABC drew a 12.3 overnight rating, down 4 percent from the 12.8 for Boston’s lopsided clinching victory in 2008. This time there will be a rare Game 7—just the third in 22 years—and the chance for a big rating on Thursday.

The last non-clinching Game 6, Pistons-Spurs in 2005, earned a 10.5—15 percent lower than Tuesday’s game.

Ratings represent the percentage of all homes with televisions tuned into a program. Overnight ratings measure the country’s largest markets.

[duncan228]

Game 7 draws highest NBA rating since 1998 (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-nbafinals-ratings)

Game 7 drew the highest preliminary rating for an NBA finals game since 1998.

The Lakers’ 83-79 win Thursday night on ABC earned an 18.2 overnight rating. That’s the highest for an NBA game since Michael Jordan won his last championship with the Bulls in Game 6 of the 1998 finals against the Jazz, which posted a 22.9.

The rating was 32 percent higher than the only other Game 7 of the last 16 years. Pistons-Spurs in 2005 drew a 13.8.

Ratings represent the percentage of all homes with televisions tuned into a program. Overnight ratings measure the country’s largest markets.

The game drew a 39.7 rating in Los Angeles and a 33.9 in Boston.

[HarlemHeat37]

Pistons-Spurs really drew a 13.8 rating?..:lol what the fuck?..are they sure it's not a typo, as in 3.8?..