This will make you feel better: Low ratings for Game 1 NBA Finals 2006

[Mavs_All_the_Way]

The Low ratings continue, see, is not only the Spurs....


CBS Blocks ABC's Shot Thursday NBA Finals get off to slow start; 'Windfall' OK for NBC

June 9 2006

Despite the presence of two big-market teams and a handful of stars, the NBA Finals didn't generate very big ratings for ABC Thursday, allowing CBS to take the night.

CBS averaged a 6.9 rating/12 share in primetime, beating out ABC's 5.9/10 (with the Finals airing live, those numbers may change some in the final ratings). FOX took third with a 5.2/9. NBC, 4.7/8, came in fourth, while both The WB, 1.5/3, and UPN, 1.1/2, were well back.

ABC did score a win among adults 18-49, drawing a 3.5 rating. FOX was a close second in the demographic with a 3.3. NBC, 2.8, edged CBS, 2.7, for third. The WB averaged 0.8 and UPN 0.7.

The pregame show "NBA Nation" scored a 4.7/9 for ABC at 8 p.m., narrowly winning the hour over CBS' "Gameshow Marathon," 4.6/8 (CBS had a small lead in total viewers). An hour of "My Name Is Earl" was third for NBC at 4.3/8. FOX was fourth with a repeat of "So You Think You Can Dance." The WB's "Smallville" rerun, 1.6/3, topped UPN's "Everybody Hates Chris" and "Love, Inc."

CBS took over the lead at 9 p.m. with a "CSI" rerun, 8.3/14. Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat posted a 6.3/10, edging a new "So You Think You Can Dance," 6.2/10, on FOX. Two more episodes of "Earl" averaged 4.1/7 for NBC. "Supernatural" kept The WB in fifth, ahead of "Eve" and "Cuts" on UPN.

"Without a Trace" finished CBS' night with a 7.8/13 at 10 p.m. ABC's NBA coverage improved to 6.9/12. The premiere of "Windfall" on NBC delivered a 5.8/10.


Ratings information is taken from fast national data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are preliminary and subject to change, especially in the case of live telecasts.

[NBA Junkie]

I'm not surprised. Ratings would naturally be at their highest when the big three markets of LA, CHI, and NY are involved as there would be a larger sampling of people in those areas following the games.

Of course, the LA and Chicago markets were also greatly influenced by having the Jordan's, O'Neal's and Bryant's participating as casual and diehard fans in the US had a love/hate relationship with those Bull/Laker dynasties. By now, O'Neal isn't as popular as he once was due to declining skills and guys like Dwyane Wade and Dirk Nowitzki aren't household names that are connecting with the casual fan. In Wade's case...at least not yet.

[SPARKY]

I'm surprised. After all there's Shaq and then you have a team playing the open court style that Stern has been advocating for years. I think the problem is that the US simply has gone to sleep on basketball.

[gospursgojas]

The MTV Movie Awards were also on the same night as game 1

[whottt]

Bavetta is killing the popularity of the game singlehandedly. Sooner they can his ass(an not give him game 7's to ref) the sooner the NBA will start to regain popularity. WWE isn't as poular as it used to be either.

[Shank]

what noone wanted to watch them trade fts

There were 45 FTA Thursday night. The lowest number of FTA in the Dal-Sa series was 50 in Game 5.

[Shank]

this just in


only fans of basketball watch them play

[leemajors]

you think it would have done better on tnt or espn? only the nfl can compete with primetime shows.

[leemajors]

or, better off staying on those channels. the shares would not be better.

[leemajors]

those would get far worse ratings, unless it were yanks vs sox every night. then the whole east coast would watch

[Mr. Body]

Shouldn't have started the series on a Thursday. BIG prime time night.

Also, starting it randomly on a night five days after the earlier series' ended didn't help.

[leemajors]

it is a big prime time night but everything is in reruns. it probably would have helped to have it start less than a business week after the conference finals. then you have 2 full days between games...

[ducks]

here is a thought

put it on cbs or nbc and people who do not have cable will watch it

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

here is a thought

put it on cbs or nbc and people who do not have cable will watch it

Since when did you need cable to watch ABC?

I guess you gotta add Dallas and Miami to the boring list with the Spurs.

[ducks]

in yuma,az you have to have cable to get abc

[bonesinaz]

You need cable in northern AZ to watch ABC....or anything else current for that matter.

[angel_luv]

Wow that is not cool. I thought everyone got ABC.

[Mr. Body]

Wow that is not cool. I thought everyone got ABC.

Everybody does, technically. It's a broadcast network. The problem is, some people live too far from a transmitter to get clear reception, so need to feed it through cable.

I lived for a while in Bloomington, Indiana. Same problem with all the network channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, WB).

[TDMVPDPOY]

WORLDCUP>NBA FTW

Seriously the wc is live coverage here in australia on nationally tv, and the channel that recieved the rights didnt have to pay a cent cose soccer in australia is just buildin up again after poor management etc, and the guyz that have stick with soccer and promoting it over the years were the multicultural channel that showed other sports and movies etc... compared to the other rich channels tryin to get into the soccer vibe didnt get from fifa

the nba use to be shown here in australia on national tv for free even though were were like 1 week behind , then they stopped showin it probaly to protect the local leagues interest. The local league is down the drain also since you can only view from cable tv. Its not even popular here in australia, you think with bogut in nba was goin to do anything, it did jack , ask every australian baller on here, even bogut said it on tv that the clowns here werent doin enough for the sport.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

who wouldn't want to watch the mavs free throw themselves to another fair and hard earned victory?

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Thats the aspect I liked about games 2-5. Dirk was so Larry Bird esque that he diddn't even have to make a real field goal to rack up points. He willed himself to win, at the free throw line. He's so larry bird esque now!


I am a fan of good basketball and damnit that was good entertaining ball

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

So Yuma, Az. is the demographic that is killing the NBA's ratings, ducks?

[ducks]

Everybody does, technically. It's a broadcast network. The problem is, some people live too far from a transmitter to get clear reception, so need to feed it through cable.

I lived for a while in Bloomington, Indiana. Same problem with all the network channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, WB).

not just yuma ahf places where they get no signal

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

not just yuma ahf places where they get no signal

And again, do you really think that places with low enough population densities like that are what's killing the ratings?

[ducks]

what is killing the ratings is everyone knows shaq gets away with o fouls all the team

6 charging fouls against heat
0 against mavs in game one
everyone knows cuban pays the refs at home off because they know if mavs lose he will send in a tape


you want more people to watch sports put more games on nbc,cbs and abc
not everyone will be able to get those channels without cable but if you show games on espn,tnt you must have cable no question

ratings have been higher this year I think you give it one more game
thursday night is a school night (some are still in school) and starting a game at 9:00 in east coast to me is ing stupid. that is where more people are. game gets over at midnight with foul shots