With Coverage of the 2010 NBA Finals Game 1, ABC Wins Thursday by Wide Margins in Viewers and Adults 18-49. ABC Scores its Top Thursday with Summer Programming Since September ‘05 And Generates its Most-Watched-Ever Opening Night with the NBA Finals.
ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live Game Night” Achieves its Highest Numbers Ever.
Celtics-Lakers 2010 NBA Finals Game 1 Overshadows the Primetime Landscape, Standing as Thursday’s No. 1 TV Program in Viewers and Across All Key Adults.
Among Viewers and Adults 18-49, Game 1 of 2010 Marks the Highest-Rated Start for the NBA Finals in 6 Years and is the 2nd-Highest-Ever Opener on ABC.
Thursday Night (8:00-11:00 p.m.)
With coverage of the 2010 NBA Finals Game 1 between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics, ABC posted a dominant win on Thursday night, beating its nearest competition (Fox) by 2.0 million viewers (10.7 million vs. 8.7 million) and by 24% in Adults 18-49 (4.1/14 vs. 3.3/11).
In Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 (tie), ABC tallied its strongest Thursday with summer programming since September 2005 – since 9/8/05.
The Net produced its most-watched-ever opening night with the NBA Finals. It was also ABC’s highest-ever opening night delivery with the NBA Championship Series in Adults 18-34 (4.2/15-tie), Men 18-49 (5.4/19-tie), Men 25-54 (5.5/17-tie) and Teens 12-17 (3.2/13).
“Jimmy Kimmel Live Game Night 1” (Various Time Periods)
Airing around the NBA Finals in various time periods across the country, the “Jimmy Kimmel Live Game Night” special generated broad exposure for the ABC late-night talker in primetime. ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live Game Night” achieved its best-ever numbers for any telecast, since it began airing in 2008 (a total of 12 telecasts). The “JKL” special was up over last year’s opening-night telecast by 17% in Total Viewers (4.2 million vs. 3.6 million) and by 8% in Adults 18-49 (1.3/5 vs. 1.2/4).
Thursday’s (6/3/10) late-night telecast of “JKL” equaled the show’s highest Metered Market Adult 18-49 rating (0.9) in more than 3 months – since 3/1/10.
“NBA Finals on ABC – GM 1” (9:04 p.m. – 12:00 a.m, ET)
Featuring the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers, ABC’s “2010 NBA Finals Game 1” towered over its primetime competition and finished as Thursday’s definitive No. 1 TV program in Total Viewers (14.1 million) and across each of the key Adult demographics: A18-34 (5.9/20), A18-49 (5.7/18) and A25-54 (5.8/17). Los Angeles won the opening game of the series by a score of 102-89 to lead the best-of-seven series 1-0.
In Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, Game 1 of the 2010 NBA Finals qualifies as the best start for the Championship Series in 6 years (since 2004 Pistons-Lakers) and as the second-highest-ever opening game for The Finals on ABC – beginning with coverage in 2003.
Game 1 of the 2010 NBA Finals delivered a 25.2/43 Household number in Los Angeles and a 19.1/34 in Boston.
A note about increasing DVR penetration and year-to-year rating comparisons: Year-to-year rating comparisons based on the Live + Same Day data stream are distorted by the level of DVR penetration in the Nielsen sample, which has jumped up to 36% currently, from 31% at the same point in 2009. More viewers are watching shows on their own timetables, which may not be reflected in the overnight next-day numbers. The only truly valid year-to-year comparison would be one based on the Live + 7 Day metric, once those stats are released by Nielsen.
(Source: ABC – The Nielsen Company (National, Live + Same Day Program Ratings), 6/3/10. Metered Market averages based on Local People Meter data for 6/3/10)
