Game 1, 3rd-Highest Rated Conference Final Opener Since ’02

[SA210]

Thunder/Spurs Game 1, 3rd-Highest Rated Conference Final Opener Since ’02


http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2012/05/nba-playoffs-thunderspurs-game-1-third-highest-rated-conference-final-opener-since-02/


Game 1 of the Thunder/Spurs NBA Western Conference Finals drew a 4.8 U.S. rating and 7.764 million viewers on TNT Sunday night, ......... up 9% and 10%, respectively, from Suns/Lakers Game 1 on a Monday night in 2010 (4.4, 7.112M).


Compared to Game 1 of last year’s Thunder/Mavericks series on ESPN (4.3, 6.982M), Sunday’s game increased by 12% in ratings and 11% in viewership.

Sunday’s game ranks as the third-highest rated Game 1 of a conference final since 2002, trailing only Heat/Bulls last year and Nuggets/Lakers Game 1 on ESPN in 2009 (5.0).


In addition, the game ranks as the highest rated conference final opener to involve the Spurs since Lakers/Spurs Game 1 on NBC in 2001 (6.0).
Cherry-picking a few lines here, not bad considering both are small market teams.

[eyeh8u]

okc hipsters are like 90% of the neilsen families.

[JRHernandez88]

What were the ratings for game 2?

[Spurtacus]

Spurs are boring.

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Spurs are boring.

This, tbqh :lol

[KaiRMD1]

I yawned at those numbers

[Budkin]

I fell asleep. What happened?

[Solid D]

Thunder/Spurs Game 1, 3rd-Highest Rated Conference Final Opener Since ’02

Cherry-picking a few lines here, not bad considering both are small market teams.

Nice! Good find.

[dbreiden83080]

A Spurs/Heat Finals would do well....

[eyeh8u]

" Los Angeles Lakers and the Oklahoma City Thunder led the way with more than 8.1 million viewers, followed by the May 27 Oklahoma City Thunder/San Antonio Spurs contest with 7.8 million viewers "

300,000 less for a wcf than a wcsf

[crc21209]

But, but, but the Spurs are boring...:rolleyes :lol

[Solid D]

" Los Angeles Lakers and the Oklahoma City Thunder led the way with more than 8.1 million viewers, followed by the May 27 Oklahoma City Thunder/San Antonio Spurs contest with 7.8 million viewers "

300,000 less for a wcf than a wcsf

You think LA being the 2nd largest US city with over 18M people might have anything to do with that?

[z0sa]

These have been 2 really good games. If you haven't thoroughly enjoyed them, even as a casual fan, then basketball may not be the sport for you.

[eyeh8u]

You think LA being the 2nd largest US city with over 18M people might have anything to do with that?

I not talking about what is, im talking about what should be, im not surprised at the rating, that doesn't mean it should be that way. IMO when the stakes rise so should peoples' attention.

ps this has nothing to do with your point but LA the city has 3.7 million people, its the greater LA area that has which is by no definition should be considered a city and included 34k square miles compared to the city of LA 502.

[ElNono]

Game 2 was the top show that day (http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/05/30/sunday-cable-ratings-nba-playoffs-win-night-game-of-thrones-mad-men-keeping-up-with-the-kardashians-girls-pawn-stars-more/136102/)

NBA PLAYOFFS- CONF FNLS L TNT 8:32 PM 7764 3.4

[eyeh8u]

Game 2 was the top show that day (http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/05/30/sunday-cable-ratings-nba-playoffs-win-night-game-of-thrones-mad-men-keeping-up-with-the-kardashians-girls-pawn-stars-more/136102/)

NBA PLAYOFFS- CONF FNLS L TNT 8:32 PM 7764 3.4

link is for game 1

[ElNono]

link is for game 1

oops, my bad

[jestersmash]

I don't understand where they're getting "3rd highest rated" conference final opener.

According to the graph, it's the 5th highest rated conference final opener, so I thought maybe they were only looking at TNT games, but if you go by that criteria, it's the 2nd highest conference final opener.

Is TNT a subsidiary of ESPN (or vice versa)?

[SA210]

" Los Angeles Lakers and the Oklahoma City Thunder led the way with more than 8.1 million viewers, followed by the May 27 Oklahoma City Thunder/San Antonio Spurs contest with 7.8 million viewers "

300,000 less for a wcf than a wcsf


Yea, but that's LA, one of the HUGEST markets.

These ratings here are for TWO small market teams, which is pretty impressive, and not only that, just maybe some little parts of America are waking up to watch good basketball for a change.

Another poster said Spurs/Heat Finals will be good ratings wise, this pretty much indicates that. People are tuning in the "machine"

:flag:

[SA210]

Nice! Good find.

Thanks, I actually searched for it. I was curious :lol

[jbspurs]

The hate on Westbrook and LeBron help the Spurs get the attention they deserved. Spurs over OKC over Heat.

[capek]

Spurs are bringing in the ratings? Mayans were right tbh :depressed

[Jimcs50]

Fans love winning streaks.


ie. UConn women drew huge tv audience for first time.

If this streak continues into Finals, the Spurs- Heat series will be huge as far as tv audience.

The longer the streak goes, the more fans start to take notice.

[maverick1948]

Check out this site for ratings on Tuesday.

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/05/31/tuesday-cable-ratings-hatfields-mccoys-wins-night-nba-playoffs-tosh-0-deadliest-catch-workaholics-real-housewives-more/136322/

[SA210]

Fans love winning streaks.


ie. UConn women drew huge tv audience for first time.

If this streak continues into Finals, the Spurs- Heat series will be huge as far as tv audience.

The longer the streak goes, the more fans start to take notice.

Let's hope it continues

:toast

[Kidd K]

Well it's a combination of: the NBA office-driven OKC hype machine, and the Spurs 20 game win streak.

If our streak goes, the ratings will prolly drop a little too.

[Spurs7794]

I wonder if game 1 got great ratings partially because it was memorial day sunday. Usually the conf finals start earlier but because of the lockout this year, it fell the day before memorial day. Since most ppl had no work the next day, theres a better chance of ppl just watching tv.

[eyeh8u]

I wonder if game 1 got great ratings partially because it was memorial day sunday. Usually the conf finals start earlier but because of the lockout this year, it fell the day before memorial day. Since most ppl had no work the next day, theres a better chance of ppl just watching tv.

game 2 only had a 300k decline in viewership so i doubt it had much to do with it, also it wasn't a late night game with an 8:30 tip off in the east coast, so i dont see why people wouldn't be able to watch the whole game, get a good night sleep and still go to work. .