ESPN attained record viewership on Opening Night for its coverage of the National Basketball Association, which included a doubleheader matchup and new commentary teams. As a whole, the doubleheader viewership averaged nearly 2.76 million viewers, an 80% rise from the comparable slate of games last season. Aside from 2012 and excluding the lockout-impacted 2011 season, it was the network’s best opening doubleheader currently on record.
The Boston Celtics’ 108-104 victory over the New York Knicks had an average of 2.55 million viewers, which peaked at 4.35 million viewers at 9:45 p.m. EST/6:45 p.m. PST. These numbers make the Eastern Conference tilt the most-watched season-opening game in the early slot on ESPN since 2012, up 76% from the early matchup last year between the Knicks and Memphis Grizzlies.
NBA Countdown featuring Malika Andrews, Stephen A. Smith, Bob Myers, Michael Wilbon and Adrian Wojnarowski were live from Madison Square Garden to host the program. Shortly thereafter, the new lead broadcast team of Mike Breen, Doc Rivers and Doris Burke made their debut and were joined by reporter Lisa Salters.
Later on, San Antonio Spurs center and No. 1 overall draft selection Victor Wembanyama made his highly-anticipated NBA debut against the Dallas Mavericks, drawing an average of 2.99 million viewers. While the Mavericks defeated the Spurs 126-119, the matchup caught the attention of the basketball world and peaked at 3.9 million viewers at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST.
The presentation was up 83% over last year’s game in this slot – a matchup between the Mavericks and Phoenix Suns – and it was the most-watched season-opening game in the late slot on ESPN since 2012. Outside of Christmas Day, the game also marks the most-watched Spurs or Mavericks regular-season game ever on ESPN. The new secondary commentary team of Ryan Ruocco, JJ Redick and Richard Jefferson made its debut on the game with reporter Cassidy Hubbarth.
ESPN did not have to compete with the Major League Baseball postseason on Wednesday night, whereas the NBA on TNT was up against Game 7 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS), albeit on its owned cable network TBS. The NBA on ESPN was the most-watched prime time program across broadcast and cable television on Wednesday night in several key demographics, including people under 50, adults 18-34, adults 25-54, men 18-34, men 18-49 and men 25-54.
