The Game 1 of the NBA 2025 finals between Oklahoma City And Indiana had made a flop in the television plan but we could hope for a rebound for Game 2 following the incredible scenario of the first round. Except that it was the opposite that occurred, and that there was even fewer curious people in front of their small screen …
The second match, broadcast on Sunday, only attracted 8.76 million viewers on average to ABC, against 8.9 million for Game 1. And this time, given the scenario of the meeting, there was no peak at the end of the game, with a maximum of 9.90 million people in front of their TV, against 11.1 million in the previous match.
If we put aside the finals in the “bubble”, which were broadcast at a completely abnormal period for fans, we have to go back to the 2007 finals between the Spurs and the riders to find a trace of a game 2 so little regarded (8.55 million viewers). What is particularly worrying for the NBA is that the match was broadcast on Sunday evening, with families potentially in front of their television. But also that the audience has dropped between Game 1 and Game 2, which has only happened three times since 2007 …
Last year, Game 2 between the Celtics and the Mavericks had in any case attracted 12.31 million viewers on ABC, 29% more than this year. A huge difference.
Accused of badly highlighting this duel between the Thunder and the Pacers, two small markets, The NBA immediately replied On his social networks, anticipating comments on these very low audiences to highlight that the first two games of the finals remained the most watched TV programs on American television since the first week of May, and that half of viewers aged 18 to 34 (a key target for the big league) who were in front of their television watched the matches. She also assures that the finals have generated more than a billion views of all social networks since their beginning.
