Highest-Rated NBA Finals Game 1 Ever on ABC: 13.1 Overnight Rating

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Highest-Rated NBA Finals Game 1 Ever on ABC: 13.1 Overnight Rating

Photo of Dave Nagle Dave Nagle Follow on Twitter June 3, 2016
  • Breaks Previous Record Set Last Year
  • Most-Watched NBA Game Ever on WatchESPN
  • NBA Finals Expected to Win the Night for 49th Consecutive Time

Last night’s Game 1 of the 2016 NBA Finals delivered a 13.1 overnight rating, ABC’s highest-rated Game 1 ever according to Nielsen. The telecast, which featured the Golden State Warriors defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers, broke the previous record (12.9) achieved last year for the matchup between these same two teams. Additionally, the 13.1 is up 26 percent from Game 1 of the 2014 NBA Finals (10.4) between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs.

It is expected that the NBA Finals will win the night across television for the 49th consecutive time.

The broadcast peaked with a 14.8 rating from 10:45 p.m.-11 p.m. ET.

Most-Watched NBA Game Ever on WatchESPN

Last night’s Game 1 was the most-watched NBA game ever on WatchESPN. It delivered an average minute audience of 347,000, more than double (up 111 percent) from last year’s Game 1. Additionally, WatchESPN had one million unique viewers (up 48 percent) and 55.9 million minutes streamed (up 92 percent). The previous record for most-watched NBA game was Game 6 of the 2015 NBA Finals.

Strong Local Market Numbers

Game 1 on ABC delivered a 32.8 rating in the San Francisco market, which is the best NBA Finals Game 1 rating ever on ABC in that market, while Cleveland posted a 36.0 rating, the second-highest Game 1 rating for that market. Top 10 local markets for Game 1 last night:

Market Rating
Cleveland 36.0
San Francisco 32.8
Sacramento 20.2
Columbus 18.9
Miami-Ft. Lauderdale 18.8
San Antonio 18.7
Atlanta 16.9
Birmingham 14.5
West Palm Beach 14.4
Houston 14.1

Additionally, NBA Countdown – ABC’s NBA Finals pre-game show – generated a 4.7 overnight rating, up two percent from the corresponding show in 2015 (4.6 rating) and up 20 percent from 2014 (3.9).

The NBA Finals will continue with Game 2 on ABC this Sunday, June 5, at 8 p.m. ET. NBA Countdown will precede the broadcast at 7:30 p.m. The game is also available on ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio and via WatchESPN.

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Photo of Dave Nagle Dave Nagle Follow on Twitter June 3, 2016
Photo of Dave Nagle

Dave Nagle

As I write this on 11-11-21, it's now 35 years for me at ESPN, the only real job I’ve ever had. I joined merely to help with the upcoming America’s Cup in Australia. I was told it would be for three months at all of $5.50 per hour. I like to say I simply kept showing up. I’ve worked on almost every sport, plus answered viewer calls and letters (people used to write!), given tours, written the company newsletter and once drove NASCAR’s Jeff Gordon to the local airport. My travels have been varied…I’ve been to Martinsville, Darlington, Indy and Super Bowls; the America’s Cup (all 3) in San Diego and College GameDay in the sport’s meccas such as Eugene, Auburn, Lubbock, Stillwater and more; the NBA Finals, Wimbledon (16 times and counting) and the “other Bristol,” the one with a race track in Tennessee. These days, my main areas are tennis, UFC, boxing, network-wide ratings (by month/quarter/year), and corporate communications documents, including fact sheets, chronologies, lists and nearly 35 of the Year in Review press releases. UPDATE EXACTLY ONE YEAR LATER: Today, November 11, 2022, I am retiring from ESPN -- 36 years to the day I began. As I ride off into the sunset – top down and E Street Radio blaring – I do so with so many wonderful memories, proud of my contributions and a heart full of gratitude for the opportunity. 
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