Alan Cumming just got posterized by Game 2 of ABC’s NBA Finals.
As one would expect, the continuation of the Cavaliers-Warriors roundball championship series destroyed everything else on broadcast, including an original episode of CBS’ “Instinct.” Before tipoff, a special “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and the “NBA Countdown” pregame show dominated NBC’s and CBS’ news magazine shows.
NBC finished runner-up to ABC in the key 18-49 demographic, while CBS took silver in terms of total viewers.
ABC was first in ratings with a 4.5 rating/19 share in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic and in total viewers with an average of 12.7 million, according to preliminary numbers. “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” at 7 p..m. posted a 2.2/11 and 8.1 million viewers. At 7:30, “NBA Countdown” scored a 2.5/12 and 7.7 million viewers. Game 2 followed and ran throughout primetime, pulling up ABC’s averages. Due to the nature of live sports, however, the network’s fast national numbers should be considered subject to considerable adjustment.
NBC was second in ratings with a 0.8/3 and third in viewers with 4.1 million. “Dateline” at 7 had a 0.5/3 and 3.8 million viewers. A rebroadcast of “Jurassic World” completed the evening.
CBS was third in ratings with a 0.4/2 and second in viewers with 5.3 million. At 7, “60 Minutes” got a 0.6/3 and 7.5 million viewers. “Instinct” at 8 received a 0.5/2 and 6.3 million viewers. Reruns followed.
Fox and Univision tied for fourth in ratings, both with a 0.3/1. Airing just repeats, Fox was fourth in total viewers with 1.1 million; Univision was fifth with 997,000.
Telemundo was sixth in ratings with a 0.2/1 and in viewers with 707,000.
The CW does not currently nationally program Sunday nights.