When the NBA announced it would hold an in-season tournament this fall, the hope was it would increase viewership and overall fan interest during the early part of the season.
Traditionally, NBA ratings aren’t that high during the opening months of the schedule. That is partly because it overlaps with the regular season and playoffs of the NFL, the most popular sports league in the nation.
Although some are skeptical that winning the NBA Cup means something significant, it is clear the inaugural in-season tourney has been an overall success. The objective evidence is the fact television ratings for the games comprising the tourney were up from games taking place at the same time of year last season.
The final game on Saturday between the Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana Pacers, which the Lakers won, 123-109, was actually one of the most-watched NBA games in a while.
Via Sports Media Watch:
“Saturday’s Pacers-Lakers NBA In-Season Tournament final averaged a 2.5 rating and 4.58 million viewers across ABC (2.2, 4.14M) and ESPN2 (0.26, 439K), marking the largest NBA audience outside of Christmas and the postseason since February 2018 ([Cleveland] Cavaliers-[Boston]Celtics: 4.64M).
“The Lakers’ win, which peaked with 5.68 million viewers, increased 44% in ratings and 46% in viewership from a Celtics-[Golden State] Warriors NBA Finals rematch in the same window last season (1.7, 3.14M). Even excluding the ESPN2 simulcast, the ABC-only figures increased 29% and 32% respectively.”
In fact, as Sports Media Watch noted, that contest drew much higher ratings than the Heisman Trophy presentation show.
Clearly, the in-season tournament is here to stay, and fans, by and large, seem to like this new wrinkle to the long NBA season.
