NBA Finals Rematch Ratings Preview: Can ABC Get a 7-Game Series, Please?
Last year’s six-game showdown between the Cavaliers and the Warriors averaged 20 million per — and the Disney broadcaster could use the eyeballs even more this summer
Tony Maglio | June 2, 2016 @ 9:00 AM
Last Updated: June 2, 2016 @ 1:33 PM
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ABC has a definite rooting interest in this year’s NBA Finals: A long, competitive series. PLEASE.
The Disney broadcaster needs to draw viewers now after finishing the fall/spring season in last place among the Big 4 networks. It’s already seen this Cleveland Cavaliers-Golden State Warriors match-up — which proved to be a boon just 12 months ago.
Last year, Stephen Curry and the Warriors won the NBA Championship, toppling LeBron James‘ Cavs in six games. ABC averaged about 20 million total viewers each of those games, per Nielsen’s Live + Same Day metric. That’s quite impressive.
That was up 29 percent from the prior year and 25 percent in the advertiser-sought 18-49 demographic. Back to overall eyeballs, last year’s matchup became the most-watched Finals on ABC since 2003.
To this point in the 52-week season, ABC is down 14 percent year over year in both main metrics versus the 2014-2015 season, per Nielsen’s “most current” ratings, which include seven-day delayed viewing where available. That’s not so good.
Fingers crossed that ABC/Cleveland/Golden State can pull it off again, and possibly even do one game better. TNT just reaped record ratings from Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals — to use a basketball rim pun, the iron is currently hot.
Below are the total viewer counts for ABC’s 2015 NBA Finals, broken down per game. Obviously, the longer a series goes, the better tune-in becomes thanks to heightened drama. So, try not to sweep the Cavs, Splash Brothers. And if it starts to go the other way, ease up, LeBron.
Game 1: 17.8 million Game 2: 19.2 million Game 3: 18.8 million Game 4: 19.8 million Game 5: 20.9 million Game 6: 23.3 million
By the way, San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose is the sixth-biggest media market in the United States, Cleveland-Akron is No. 17. Not quite Knicks-Lakers, but not bad.
The 2016 NBA Finals tip-off Thursday at 9/8c on ABC.
9 NBA Stars Who Took a Shot at Hollywood (Photos)
Michael Jordan
It's only fitting that the greatest basketball player in history would star in the biggest basketball film of all time. His Airness plays himself in "Space Jam" as he comes out of retirement to save the Looney Tunes from being kidnapped by giant aliens.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
After pretending to just be an airline pilot named Roger Murdock in "Airplane!," the famous basketball player angrily responds to one of his critics in the form of a young boy in one of the film's many zany moments.
Gheorghe Muresan
For 1998's "My Giant," Billy Crystal cast NBA center Gheorghe Muresan for the role of Maximus, the titular big man. Crystal plays a huckster who tries to use Maximus' height for his personal advantage. Crystal based the film on the relationship he developed with Andre the Giant while filming "The Princess Bride."
Ray Allen
Just two years into a record-breaking career, Ray Allen turned in a critically-praised performance in "He Got Game" as Jesus Shuttleworth, a high school senior who is pressured by his father (Denzel Washington) into playing for a certain college that can pull some strings and get him out of prison.
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal has played a genie ("Kazaam") and a superhero ("Steel") as well as cameoing in many of Adam Sandler's comedies. But he got his start by playing a college basketball player in 1994's "Blue Chips," acting opposite Nick Nolte as his coach. O'Neal was nominated for a Razzie Award for Worst New Star for his performance.
Dennis Rodman
Hollywood took one glance at Dennis Rodman and decided, "There's a star." The Chicago Bulls forward starred with Jean-Claude Van Damme in 1997's "Double Team." The acting may have been subpar, but the writers were able to mix it in with some truly awful one-liners. Rodman won three Razzie Awards for his performance in the film.
Larry Bird
One of the NBA's all-time greats appeared as himself in "Space Jam," wisely telling Bill Murray that he should stick with acting and give up his basketball dreams. Bird also cameoed in "Celtic Pride," which starred Daniel Stern and Dan Aykroyd as die-hard Celtic fans who kidnap an opposing player to help their team.
Rick Fox
Arguably the player with the most successful transition from the court to the big screen, Rick Fox has participated in films ranging from "He Got Game" to "Meet the Browns," as well as playing a baseball player in a memorable cameo from "Holes."
Darius Miles
Drafted out of high school, Darius Miles rode his early NBA stardom to a role in "The Perfect Score." Acting alongside Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson, he played a high school basketball player who was desperate enough for a high SAT to join a band of students intent on stealing the answers.
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From the hardwood to Hollywood: TheWrap takes a look at some of basketball’s finest who have dabbled in acting
Michael Jordan
It's only fitting that the greatest basketball player in history would star in the biggest basketball film of all time. His Airness plays himself in "Space Jam" as he comes out of retirement to save the Looney Tunes from being kidnapped by giant aliens.
