The NBA playoffs are witnessing a remarkable surge in viewership, trailing only the elevated levels seen two years ago. As the playoffs progress into the conference finals, NBA games are averaging an impressive 3.85 million viewers across major networks, including ABC, ESPN, ESPNU, TNT, and NBA TV. This figure represents a 2% increase from the previous year and marks the second-highest average viewership since 2014.
When excluding ESPNU and NBA TV from the equation, the average viewership climbs to an even more remarkable 4.17 million, reflecting a 3% rise and maintaining the trend of strong viewership since 2014. The ongoing 2023 playoffs have already set significant viewership milestones during the first two rounds, asserting their dominance in the ratings landscape. It's important to note that out-of-home viewing was not included in Nielsen estimates until 2020 and was only tracked in all markets starting this year.
The second round of the playoffs recorded an average of 4.91 million viewers, showcasing a 1% increase compared to last year. This exciting round concluded with the thrilling Nuggets-Thunder Game 7, which attracted an average of 6.34 million viewers on ABC. This figure represents only a slight 2% drop from the previous year's matchup between the Pacers and Knicks, which averaged 6.45 million viewers, despite the current game featuring a smaller-market team and a significant 32-point victory.
Interestingly, last season's second Game 7, featuring the Timberwolves and Nuggets on TNT, garnered much higher viewership with 8.41 million viewers. However, Oklahoma City’s commanding win during the recent Game 7 peaked with 7.63 million viewers during the 5:15 PM ET quarter-hour, making it the most-watched sporting event of the weekend and the fifth-most-watched game of the entire playoffs.
On another thrilling night, the Celtics-Knicks Game 6 averaged 5.73 million viewers on ESPN, representing a remarkable 14% increase from last year's Knicks-Pacers matchup, which averaged 5.02 million viewers. Notably, the Knicks’ series-clinching victory peaked at 6.6 million viewers during the 9 PM ET quarter-hour, marking it as the ninth-largest audience of the playoffs. The Knicks and Celtics series has been particularly captivating, accounting for three of the top ten most-watched games, more than any other series.
The most-watched game of the playoffs to date remains the Lakers-Timberwolves Game 4 from the first round, which attracted 7.35 million viewers. In terms of overall season viewership, the most-watched game continues to be the Lakers-Warriors matchup on Christmas Day, which drew an impressive 7.91 million viewers. Across the primary networks of ABC, ESPN, and TNT, playoff games are achieving an average share of 10.1, indicating that 10.1% of all television viewers are tuning in to these games. This figure represents a significant 23% increase from last year and sets a new record for playoff viewership.
As traditional television viewership declines, the importance of live sports, particularly the NBA playoffs, becomes increasingly evident. The surge in viewership underscores the enduring appeal of NBA playoff games, solidifying their status as a key driver of audience engagement in the evolving media landscape.
