Top Line
An average of 11.3 million people tuned in to watch each game of the NBA Finals, which this year featured the Boston Celtics against the Dallas Mavericks, the lowest viewership since 2021. Viewership for the NBA Finals and other big TV events has struggled to return to pre-pandemic levels.
The series finale took place on Monday. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
Key Facts
The average for all five games was lower than the average viewership for the 2023 and 2022 NBA Finals (reportedly 11.6 million and 12.4 million, respectively), but far surpassed the six-game series of the 2021 series (9.9 million viewers) and the 2020 tournament (7.5 million viewers).
The final game of the Celtics-Mavericks series averaged 12.2 million viewers and peaked at 13.2 million, according to ABC's parent company, Disney.
According to the Sports Business Journal, Game 4, in which the Mavs defeated the Celtics 122-84, was watched by approximately 9.6 million viewers, the second-lowest audience ever for Game 4 of the NBA Finals, behind the 7.54 million viewers for Game 4 during the pandemic era in 2020.
Viewership numbers for Games 1 through 3 were also relatively low by pre-pandemic standards, averaging about 10.99 million, 12 million and 11.4 million, respectively. Pre-pandemic, the series typically averaged more than 16 million viewers, according to Sports Media Watch.
Big numbers
18. The Boston Celtics have won the most championships of any NBA team, breaking a long-standing tie with the Los Angeles Lakers, who have 17 championships.
Forbes Rating
In October, we estimated the Celtics to be worth about $4.7 billion, making them the fourth-highest value in the NBA, and we estimated the Mavericks to be worth about $4.5 billion, making them the seventh-highest value in the league.
Main Background
The NBA Finals are not the only high-profile TV show to see ratings drop from pre-pandemic levels. As Americans turn away from linear TV, streaming services compete for viewers' attention. Last year's World Series had a record-low viewership of 9.1 million viewers, lower than the pandemic-affected 2020 MLB series. Major awards ceremonies have also recovered from early Covid-19 slump but are still seeing lower viewership than in previous eras. The one exception is the NFL, which continues to see strong ratings.
tangent
The Celtics went 64-18 in the regular season but hadn't won an NBA championship since 2008, when they beat the Los Angeles Lakers for their 17th title. This year, the team was led by Jayson Tatum (31 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds in Monday night's win over the Mavericks) and NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown. The Celtics advanced to the NBA Finals by beating the Indiana Pacers in four games in the Eastern Conference Finals, having previously defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat.
Amazing facts
The Celtics' win on Monday night came exactly 16 years after they last won in 2008.
References
