The Big Game That Saved the NBA's Viewership

The NBA saw a big boost in viewership thanks to a thrilling Game 7 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers. The game drew in an average of 16. 353 million viewers, with a peak of 19. 281 million during the final quarter. This made it the most-watched NBA Finals game since 2019, when the Raptors and Warriors faced off in Game 6, attracting 18. 3 million viewers. The entire series averaged 10. 266 million viewers, which was a drop from last year's five-game series between the Celtics and Mavericks, which had an average of 11. 3 million viewers. The series was not initially drawing large numbers, but the final game brought in a huge audience. This shows that many people only tuned in for the decisive match. The NBA's viewership numbers are also up for the entire playoffs. The 34 games across ESPN and ABC averaged 6. 118 million viewers, a 10 percent increase from last year. This is a good sign for the league, especially as it prepares for a new television deal starting in the 2025-26 season. The NBA has renewed its partnership with ESPN/ABC and formed new agreements with NBCU and Amazon, totaling a massive $77 billion deal that runs through the 2035-36 season. The market size of the teams involved might have played a role in the viewership numbers. Indianapolis is the 25th-largest media market, while Oklahoma City is ranked 47th. Despite this, the final game still drew in a large audience, showing that the excitement of a Game 7 can overcome market size differences. For context, the NBA's Game 7 viewership was similar to the 16. 6 million viewers who watched the SEC Football Championship between Texas and Georgia in December.