The new NBA play-in tournament resulted in a dream scenario for league and network executives: LeBron James vs. Stephen Curry. Two premier franchises. Last-second drama. Ratings gold.
With the playoffs officially beginning Saturday, the league is riding high from Wednesday’s Lakers-Warriors showdown that pulled in 5.6 million viewers on ESPN. As for whether one blockbuster night can make up for what’s been another dismal year for NBA ratings remains to be seen.
The league’s ratings fell sharply this season — down 17% to an average of 1.34 million viewers per game on contests carried on ABC, TNT and ESPN compared to last season’s pre-pandemic pause, according to Sports Media Watch.