Saturday’s clash between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Indiana Pacers in the first-ever NBA In-Season Tournament Championship Game, held in Las Vegas, Nevada, has set a new viewership benchmark. The game, broadcasted on ABC and ESPN2, drew an impressive average of 4,580,000 viewers. This feat marks it as the most-watched regular-season NBA game outside of the Christmas specials on any network since February 2018, based on Nielsen data.
The viewership reached its zenith at 11 p.m. ET, hitting a peak of 5,680,000 viewers. Compared to last year’s NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC season opener, which featured the Boston Celtics against the Golden State Warriors, the audience numbers were significantly higher, showing a 46 percent increase in viewership.
Remarkably, the audience for the NBA In-Season Tournament Championship Game surpassed last season’s NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC average by 64 percent. The game dominated primetime ratings on Saturday, December 9, leading all key demographics.
In addition to the traditional game broadcast on ABC, the event also featured an alternative presentation titled “NBA Unplugged with Kevin Hart,” which aired on ESPN2. This innovative format captured nearly 10 percent of the overall audience in its debut, highlighting its success and popularity among viewers.
Furthermore, “NBA Countdown Presented By Door Dash,” ABC’s pregame show, also saw a significant boost in its viewership. Averaging 2,060,000 viewers before the Championship Game, the pregame show experienced a 30 percent increase compared to the same time slot last year.
This remarkable viewership data underscores the growing interest and excitement surrounding the NBA and its innovative in-season tournament concept. The record numbers not only reflect the strong appeal of the participating teams, particularly the Los Angeles Lakers, but also the NBA’s successful efforts in engaging fans through diverse broadcasting approaches, including the addition of alternative presentations like “NBA Unplugged.”
