2017 NBA Western Conference Finals Telecast on ABC Up 37 Percent

By: Caryn Robbins May. 15, 2017

ABC's 2017 NBA Western Conference Finals - the Golden State Warriors defeated the San Antonio Spurs 113-111 in an impressive comeback victory - delivered a 5.6 metered market rating, according to Nielsen. This was up 37 percent from ESPN's Eastern Conference Finals Game 1 coverage in 2016 (Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors, 4.1). It peaked with a 7.7 rating from 6-6:15 p.m. ET. Sunday's Warriors-Spurs telecast was the highest-rated Conference Finals Game 1 on ABC or ESPN since 2014.

Yesterday's game was also ESPN's best streaming audience ever, across metrics, for an NBA Conference Finals Game 1. It generated an average minute audience of 182,200 viewers, up 20 percent from last year. Additionally, it drew 850,500 unique viewers up 62 percent from 2016 and had 30,611,400 total minutes streamed, up 23 percent.

In the San Francisco-Oakland market, Game 1 delivered a 17.2 rating, which is the highest-rated NBA postseason game on ABC in the market this season. In the San Antonio market, the telecast delivered a 24.7 which also marks the highest-rated NBA game in the market this season.

The NBA Western Conference Finals continue with Game 2 this Tuesday, May 16, at 9 p.m. on ESPN. The 2017 NBA DRAFT Lottery will precede the telecast at 8:30 p.m.