ABC's & ESPN's Coverage of First-Round 2017 NBA Playoffs Up Double-Digits

The total live audience (television + streaming) for the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs was up double-digits on both ABC and ESPN, according to Nielsen. It was the most-watched first round on ABC since 2011 and the most-watched first round on ESPN since 2014. ABC averaged a total live audience of 5,542,000 viewers, up 11 percent from 4,988,000 viewers last year. ESPN averaged a total live audience of 3,135,000 viewers, up 15 percent from 2,733,000 viewers last year.

On television, ABC delivered 5,447,000 average viewers (p2+), up 11 percent from 4,915,000 average viewers (p2+) last season. ABC also drew an average minute streaming audience of 95,700, up 31 percent from 73,000, last season.

On television, ESPN averaged 3,040,000 average viewers (p2+), up 14 percent from 2,665,000 average viewers (p2+) in 2016. ESPN also generated a record average minute streaming audience of 95,300, which was up 41 percent from 67,500 in 2016.

ESPN set additional first round streaming records, including 134,979,400 total minutes streamed, up 40 percent from last year's 96,231,900, and 339,500 average unique viewers per game, up 33 percent from 254,900.

ESPN2's one first round telecast - the LA Clippers vs. the Utah Jazz Game 3 - drew a total live audience of 1,034,000 viewers, up two percent from 1,012,000 viewers last year.

The 2017 NBA Playoffs continues on ESPN and ABC with six conference semifinal games this week.

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