NBA on ABC Christmas Showdown Up 12% Versus Last Year

ABC's blockbuster NBA Christmas Day doubleheader delivered strong overnight ratings across the board on Thursday, Dec. 25, leading to a 12 percent ratings increase versus last year. In ABC's late-afternoon window, the Miami Heat's 101-91 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers generated a 5.5 overnight rating, up 12 percent from last year, according to Nielsen. Cavaliers-Heat also posted a massive 17.2 rating in Miami, making it the highest-rated NBA regular-season game ever in the market.

In the early ABC window, the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the San Antonio Spurs, 114-106, in a rematch of the 2014 Western Conference Finals. The broadcast delivered a 4.0 overnight rating, up eight percent from 2013. In total, ABC's blockbuster NBA Christmas Day doubleheader delivered a 4.8 overnight rating.

ABC's and ESPN's Christmas Day tripleheader combined to average a 4.0 overnight rating, which is up eight percent from the comparable three windows in 2013. ESPN's telecast of the Washington Wizards' 102-91 victory over the New York Knicks delivered a 2.1 overnight rating, led by a 3.6 rating in Washington D.C. - the second-highest rated Wizards regular-season game on ESPN ever in the market.

ESPN Experiences Most-watched NBA Christmas Day Ever on WatchESPN

ESPN's three-game Christmas Day slate delivered a combined 10.4 million minutes consumed on WatchESPN, making it the most-watched Christmas Day ever on the platform and up +71% from a year ago. The Heat-Cavaliers game became the most-watched NBA game ever on Christmas Day across digital platforms with 4.5 million minutes consumed. Additionally, the Wizards-Knicks matchup became the second-most watched NBA game on Christmas with 3.3 million minutes consumed.

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