Primetime Ratings: ABC Dominates With Record NBA Finals Opener
An overtime thriller to tip off the 2015 NBA Finals helped ABC easily outpace its broadcast competition on Thursday with an overall 4.8 rating/17 share with adults 18-49 in primetime, according to Nielsen overnight numbers.
The Golden State Warriors’ overtime win over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers drew 17.8 million viewers, up 19% over last year’s Game 1 and the most for an NBA Finals opener ever on ABC. The game also surged 15% in demo to a 6.9 rating.
Earlier, Jimmy Kimmel Live: Game Night drew a 1.1 rating.
Fox was in second with a 1.1/4. Bones and Wayward Pines were each down a tenth to a 1.1 rating.
NBC returned Hannibal for its third season to a series-low 0.7, while Aquarius fell 36% to a 0.7 in its second episode. Earlier, Dateline was down a tenth to a 1.1. NBC finished with a 0.8/3.
CBS and The CW aired repeats.
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