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FILE PHOTO: Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) celebrates with forward LeBron James (23) after a play during the third quarter against the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the 2020 NBA Finals. Mandatory Credit : Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Despite featuring the duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and having two teams from major markets playing in the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat, Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night drew television ratings. record low.
The game, a 116-98 victory for the Lakers, drew 7.41 million viewers to ABC, according to overnight ratings. The previous low was 8.06 million viewers for Game 3 of the 2003 NBA Finals between the New Jersey Nets and the San Antonio Spurs.
The number is also a 45 percent drop compared to the audience for last year’s Finals opener between the Toronto Raptors and the Golden State Warriors.
On the bright side, ABC’s broadcast still led all shows in total viewers and scored the same among 18-49-year-olds that it did for the Oscars.
As for the big winner of the night, Week 2 of Fox’s “The Masked Singer” was up double-digit percentage points from Week 1 ratings, both overall and among adults ages 18-49. The gross ratings for “The Masked Singer” didn’t lag far behind the Finals, at 6.93 million.
The figures come two weeks after MoffettNathanson Research found that overall TV viewership dropped 26 percent year-over-year in August and 27.1 percent during the first half of September.
The Stanley Cup finals are also down more than 60 percent this year.
Game 2 will be played Friday night from the NBA bubble near Orlando. Field media
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