NBA Finals Game 2 Averages Significantly More Viewers Compared to Previous Edition
In the heat of the 2024-25 NBA Finals series, Game 2 managed to snag 8.76 million average viewers, surpassing the viewership of the second game from the past 18 years - a remarkable feat considering the restrictions of the 2020 COVID-19 global pandemic.
In this thrilling duel, the host Oklahoma City Thunder gave the Indiana Pacers a run for their money, winning 123-107, keeping the best-of-seven series deadlocked at 1-1.
In comparison to the previous season's showdown between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks, the average viewers for this match-up increased by 30%.
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The nail-biting Game 1, which ended with the Pacers' victory thanks to Tyrese Haliburton's jumper in the final 0.3 seconds, attracted 9.9 million average viewers. With a little luck, it could've drawn an audience of 11 million.
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Curiously, the first two games of this high-stakes series managed to pull in 8.84 million average viewers, dropping 24% compared to the viewership from the last three seasons.
It's worth noting that historical data suggests that the NBA Finals have always attracted a massive audience, but specific average viewership figures for individual series can vary greatly.
For instance, the nail-biting 2016 NBA Finals series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors averaged around 20.28 million viewers per game, peaking with 20.7 million for Game 7. In 2017, the same teams faced off again, with an average viewership of approximately 20.38 million per game.
In 2018, the Warriors went up against the Cavaliers yet again, attracting an average audience of about 17.56 million viewers per game. These numbers demonstrate that the 2016 and 2017 NBA Finals had the highest average viewership in recent history before the 2020 pandemic. However, specific data for all series might not be easily accessible, as viewership can be influenced by various factors such as team matchups.
All in all, the NBA Finals have been a hot commodity, with series like the 2016, 2017, and 2018 series among the most popular in recent decades, often surpassing 20 million viewers per game due to the intense rivalries and star-studded lineups involved.
Despite the viewers for the first two games of the 2024-25 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers dropping 24% compared to the last three seasons, they still managed to captivate 8.84 million average viewers. In the midst of this highly-anticipated series, basketball fans were reminded that even during challenging times, such as the COVID-19 global pandemic, the allure of sports like basketball, particularly the NBA, remains strong, as evidenced by the record-breaking 8.76 million average viewers for Game 2.
