NBA Finals Game 2 Propels ABC to Win the Night with 10.5 Overnight Rating 21st Consecutive Time Finals Generate Highest-Rated Program of the Night.
The NBA Finals Game 2 on ABC – in which Dallas pulled off a thrilling fourth quarter rally to defeat Miami 95-93 – delivered a 10.5 overnight rating and was the highest-rated program of the night in prime time, leading ABC to win the night (according to Nielsen). It is the 21st consecutive time The Finals have generated the highest-rated program of the night. The 10.5 overnight rating was the second highest-rated Game 2 in the last seven years.
Last night’s Game 2 was up 15 percent compared to a 9.1 rating for Game 2 in 2006, when these same two teams met in The Finals. In the last seven years, the game only trailed last year’s 10.9 overnight rating for Game 2 between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics.
In Miami, the game registered a 35.1 metered market rating, the highest-rated NBA game ever locally (records through 2003). The game generated a 25.6 metered market rating in Dallas.
ABC’s Buick Regal NBA Countdown pregame show posted a 3.5 overnight rating, up 25 percent over the comparable 2.8 rating last year.
The Finals on ABC continue with Game 3 Sunday, June 5, at 8 p.m. ET. Mike Breen calls The Finals on ABC with analysts Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy and reporter Doris Burke. The Finals are also available on ESPN Radio (Mike Tirico and Hall of Famers Dr. Jack Ramsay and Hubie Brown) and ESPN 3D (Mark Jones and Tim Legler for Game 3). Coverage will begin with the Buick Regal NBA Countdown pregame show at 7:30 p.m., hosted by Stuart Scott with Hall of Famer Magic Johnson and analysts Jon Barry and Michael Wilbon.
(source: ABC)
