NBA SATURDAY PRIMETIME on ABC Continues to Win the Night in Key Demos

By: Caryn Robbins Feb. 23, 2016

ESPN's new NBA franchise - NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC presented by La Quinta - continues to win the night across all of television in key demos, including People and Male 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54. The Feb. 20, telecast, which saw the Golden State Warriors defeat the L.A. Clippers 115-112, averaged 3,472,000 viewers (p2+) and peaked with 4,788,000 viewers in the final quarter hour, according to Nielsen. This ranks as the second-most watched NBA game this season across ESPN networks, excluding Christmas Day.

The telecast also generated a 2.2 U.S. household rating. In the San Francisco market, the telecast delivered a 10.4 rating, which is the best rating ever for an NBA regular-season game on ABC (non-Christmas). In Los Angeles, the telecast delivered a 3.8 rating, making it the highest-rated NBA regular season game on ABC in two years (non-Christmas).

Through seven games, viewership for the NBA on ABC this season is up nine percent, and the U.S. household rating is up eight percent, compared to last season: 4,831,000 viewers (p2+) and a 2.8 rating.

NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC has won the night in several key demos in each of the first three weeks of the new franchise. The series continues this Saturday, Feb. 27, when the 50-5 Golden State Warriors (as of 2/23) visit the Oklahoma City Thunder, at 8:30 p.m. ET. Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson will provide commentary with reporter Lisa Salters. NBA COUNTDOWN will precede the game at 8 p.m. with Sage Steele, Doug Collins and Jalen Rose.