ducks
05-11-2007, 12:15 AM
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/10/sports/basketball/10playoffs.html?_r=3&ref=basketball&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
Not surprisingly, the longer series and the more competitive games in the Western Conference resulted in higher television ratings than the games in the East in the first round, according to Nielsen Media Research data compiled by the N.B.A. and its broadcast partners.
The ratings in Game 1 between the Nets and Toronto were the lowest of any playoff series carried on ESPN (1.3), although Nielsen does not include Canadian households. Game 1 of the Detroit-Orlando series was the second lowest (1.6), according to an ESPN spokesman, Dave Nagel.
When the Suns’ Steve Nash could not stop the bleeding on his nose Sunday after colliding with the Spurs’ Tony Parker, San Antonio won the opening game of the Western Conference semifinals. ABC said it drew a 3.5 rating, the highest of its playoff broadcasts.
Ratings on ESPN are down 14 percent from last year’s scintillating playoffs (when there was only one series sweep), but TNT ratings are equal to last year’s, in part, because of the Golden State-Dallas series.
The Pistons are used to hearing about low ratings, even as they have marched to the conference finals the past four years. “We’re trying to be efficient, we’re trying not to play more games than we have to,” said Joe Dumars, the Pistons’ president. “Whether this game has mass appeal — that’s not even on the radar. All you’re concerned about is winning.”
Still, Dumars said that he stayed
Not surprisingly, the longer series and the more competitive games in the Western Conference resulted in higher television ratings than the games in the East in the first round, according to Nielsen Media Research data compiled by the N.B.A. and its broadcast partners.
The ratings in Game 1 between the Nets and Toronto were the lowest of any playoff series carried on ESPN (1.3), although Nielsen does not include Canadian households. Game 1 of the Detroit-Orlando series was the second lowest (1.6), according to an ESPN spokesman, Dave Nagel.
When the Suns’ Steve Nash could not stop the bleeding on his nose Sunday after colliding with the Spurs’ Tony Parker, San Antonio won the opening game of the Western Conference semifinals. ABC said it drew a 3.5 rating, the highest of its playoff broadcasts.
Ratings on ESPN are down 14 percent from last year’s scintillating playoffs (when there was only one series sweep), but TNT ratings are equal to last year’s, in part, because of the Golden State-Dallas series.
The Pistons are used to hearing about low ratings, even as they have marched to the conference finals the past four years. “We’re trying to be efficient, we’re trying not to play more games than we have to,” said Joe Dumars, the Pistons’ president. “Whether this game has mass appeal — that’s not even on the radar. All you’re concerned about is winning.”
Still, Dumars said that he stayed