The NBA Finals start Thursday in Los Angeles with the Lakers hosting the Orlando Magic in a best-of-seven. I predict it will go seven, with the Lakers winning it all. I am more curious, though, as to how much interest there is in this series.
The high-water mark for NBA Finals ratings came in 1998, when Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls garnered an 18.7 rating for the series against Utah. The nadir was reached in 2007, when the rating for San Antonio-Cleveland was an abysmal 6.2. Last year’s Lakers-Celtics did a respectable 9.3. This year, playoff ratings were up for both ESPN and TNT; however, ESPN’s average of 8.71 million viewers for the Western Conference Finals was still more than 2 million shy of the typical ESPN “Monday Night Football” regular season game.
The NBA, while a major sport in the U.S., simply does not stir the passions nationwide found in the NFL and college football, while the World Series still outdraws the NBA Finals. Part of the reason is the time of year — June is the start of vacations for many Americans and basketball is not normally considered a summer sport; the NBA season drags on way too long for all but diehards to care. I like the NBA playoffs, but seldom make it stay-home TV (that’s what DVRs are for).
My question: Will you watch the Finals? Do you care who wins? Or are you satisified with highlights and catching part of the game if it happens to be on when you’re home?
on Jun 3rd, 2009 at 8:11 PM
I live in LA and I’m sure I’ll see the highlights on SportsCenter, but I really do not care who wins. I will, however, continue to watch as many Dodgers games as humanly possible.
on Jun 4th, 2009 at 5:25 AM
Beat L.A.! Beat L.A.!
on Jun 4th, 2009 at 8:10 AM
Wake me when these playoffs are over….they just last too long. If they go to a Game 7 I’ll tune in. I’d have watched alot if the cavs had made it…Kobe-LeBron would have been cool.
on Jun 4th, 2009 at 11:08 AM
I’ll watch some. But if there’s a Game 7, I’ll plan my schedule around it. It’s the one thing the NFL has over all the other major sports: You know the date the winner of the NFL’s Championship will be decided. With the NBA, they play three games before there’s even the chance of a final game.
on Jun 4th, 2009 at 12:27 PM
I will definitely watch. Pau Gasol is my favorite player, and the Orlando Magic is my favorite team from the east. It should be a great series. Still, I want Pau to get his ring!
on Jun 4th, 2009 at 3:08 PM
It would be interesting as hell to see who could bring it in a one and done situation one season…. I know that defeats the purpose of the regular season, but it would still be cool as hell to see.
on Jun 4th, 2009 at 5:13 PM
Absolutely will watch. It’s been fun to see a new Superman emerge in Orlando.