BRISTOL, Conn. — Oklahoma City’s 103-91 triumph over Indiana in the decisive seventh game became the most-viewed NBA Finals contest in six years.
Sunday evening’s matchup drew an average of 16.53 million viewers on ABC and ESPN+, based on early ratings data from Nielsen. The viewership reached its peak with 19.28 million fans tuning in during the second half from 9:45 to 10 p.m. EDT.
This marks the first instance since Toronto clinched its championship in Game 6 against Golden State in 2019, with 18.34 million viewers, that the Finals have surpassed an audience of 16 million. The last time a Game 7 took place, Cleveland’s victory over Golden State in 2016, it attracted an average of 31.02 million viewers.
The seven-game series averaged 10.27 million spectators, a drop from the 11.31 million average during Boston’s win over Dallas in a five-game series the previous year. The series stood out as the most-watched televised broadcasts since early May.
Throughout the playoff season, ESPN and ABC reached an average of 6.12 million viewers across the 34 games they broadcasted, marking a 10% increase compared to last year.
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