Primetime Ratings: NBA Finals Decider a Boon for ABC

The NBA Finals, reaching Game 7 June 19, dominated broadcast ratings for the night. ABC roared to a noisy 8.0 rating in 18-49, and a gaudy 28 share. Everyone else was well off in the rear view; Fox mustered a 1.1/4, NBC a 0.7/2 and CBS a 0.4/1.

The Jimmy Kimmel Live pre-game show posted a 4.0 and KIA NBA Countdown a 4.6, before the game averaged an 8.9, including an 11.2 from 10 to 10:30, and the post-game a 10.4. The Cavaliers beat the Warriors to take the trophy.

The game’s overall overnight rating was 18.9, good for the highest rated NBA game ever on ABC. Fully 30.8 million watched.

Fox had U.S. Open golf action finishing up before repeated comedies.

NBC aired Despicable Me 2 and a few American Ninja Warrior repeats.

On CBS, 60 Minutes did a 0.6, down 25%, leading into repeats.  

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.