The opening round of the NBA Playoffs certainly lived up to, if not exceeded expectations, and viewership across platforms owned by The Walt Disney Company set multiple new records. The network announced Tuesday that ABC and ESPN broadcasts of NBA playoff games averaged 4.52 million viewers, a record for the networks and a figure up 18% from last year. All but one of the opening-round series went more than four games, with the Golden State Warriors tilt with the Sacramento Kings being the only series that went the maximum of seven games.
In fact, Game 7 on Sunday night averaged 9.84 million viewers, which rendered it the most-watched NBA playoff game in the first round over the last 24 years, according to data from Nielsen Media Research. The broadcast reached a maximum of 11.3 million viewers in the quarter hour beginning at 6 p.m. EST. It is ABC’s largest accumulated audience ever recorded for an NBA playoff game outside of the NBA Finals.
The NBA enjoyed tremendous digital success too with its app and social media platforms amassing a total of 2.6 billion views, 46% higher than last year’s total. Digital engagement peaked on Sunday, April 30 when the mobile app evinced the most active users it ever recorded in a single day.
Leading up to Game 7, the battle between the Warriors and Kings was drawing extensive appeal from viewers, setting a record of its own. The penultimate game of the series, which took place from Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., averaged 4.98 million viewers and peaked at 10:30 p.m. EST with a total audience of 6.51 million. Game 6 of the series marks the most-watched first round playoff game ever broadcast on ESPN.
The series between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Los Angeles Lakers had no shortage of talking points, especially after Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks called Lakers superstar and the Association’s all-time leading scorer LeBron James “old” and someone he did not respect. LeBron James issued a presumable response to Brooks on Twitter after the Lakers eliminated the Grizzlies.
Likely due to the intrigue surrounding the situation Brooks cultivated, along with the ardent fanbase of the Lakers, ESPN reported an average audience of 4.64 million viewers during Game 6. It marked the third-most watched first-round NBA playoff game on ESPN and peaked at 5.7 million viewers at approximately 10:50 p.m. EST.
The Los Angeles Lakers will face the Golden State Warriors beginning Tuesday night at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST on TNT. The network will also broadcast Game 2 of the New York Knicks matchup against the Miami Heat and reveal the Kia NBA Most Valuable Player during the pregame show at 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST.
