NBA 1st Round TV Ratings Highest In 11 Years, Nets-Celtics Ratings Through the Roof

[Soundwave]

https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2022/04/nba-playoff-ratings-most-watched-opening-weekend-11-years-nets-celtics/

NBA TV ratings for this opening weekend of the playoffs were the highest for the league overall in 11 years, with the Nets-Celtics Game 1 being the highest rated opening weekend playoff game in 20 years (!!!) since Lakers-Blazers in 2002 and overall the highest rated 1st round game since Golden State-Rockets in 2016.

The opening weekend of the NBA Playoffs averaged 4.05 million viewers across ABC, ESPN and TNT, the largest audience for the first weekend of play since 2011. Viewership jumped 37% from last year, when the playoffs began in late May (2.95M), and 41% from 2019, the previous postseason to begin in April (2.88M).

Monster ratings increase for the NBA all around, KD and Kyrie say what you want about them deliver a big ticket draw. Having Golden State relevant again is big for the NBA too.

[Manny98]

Box Office Ree! :hammertime:

[Soundwave]

https://chumley.barstoolsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/13/ef42db701baf9d51.png

This Nets-Celtics series goes 7 games no matter what ... you hear me?

[nineiron]

probably because LeBitch is out. we can finally watch some good basketball without the blatant cheating to help LeCunt win.

[Spurs m8]

Expected this.

People want to watch real sport.

Not entitled, colluding divas who are also boring on-court.

LeBarry has been holding the league back, time to toss the irrelevant guy out

[Kawhi_Why_Not]

Superstars with elite jump shooting skill draws $$$$$$$

Kobe, Tatum, Durant

[Spurs m8]

Superstars with elite jump shooting skill draws $$$$$$$

Kobe, Tatum, Durant

Speaking of entitled, colluding divas that the league doesn't miss....

[Real Men Wear Green]

Expected this.

People want to watch real sport.

Not entitled, colluding divas who are also boring on-court.

LeBarry has been holding the league back, time to toss the irrelevant guy out

I wouldn't call them boring but KD and Kyrie Irving collided to play for the Nets.

[Soundwave]

Superstars with elite jump shooting skill draws $$$$$$$

Kobe, Tatum, Durant

LeBron isn't as big of a draw as his fan base makes him out to be. He's not a Jordan/Magic/Bird level draw, those guys were massive cross over stars that radically grew the sport. Not a diss, and he's still obviously very popular, but there's a roof to his appeal.

LeBron is more like ... Kobe maybe. Both have their devoted fanbases but it doesn't cross over as much as people might think.

Don't get me wrong, LeBron is a popular basketball player, but he isn't transcendant over the sport in the way some people think he is. I think at his peak, Kobe was actually more popular. Steph Curry/Warriors are as popular as LeBron with the general public if not moreso also I think.

NBA ratings really took a hit with the Warriors not being good.

[sdot_thadon]

LeBron isn't as big of a draw as his fan base makes him out to be. He's not a Jordan/Magic/Bird level draw, those guys were massive cross over stars that radically grew the sport. Not a diss, and he's still obviously very popular, but there's a roof to his appeal.

LeBron is more like ... Kobe maybe. Both have their devoted fanbases but it doesn't cross over as much as people might think.

Don't get me wrong, LeBron is a popular basketball player, but he isn't transcendant over the sport in the way some people think he is. I think at his peak, Kobe was actually more popular. Steph Curry/Warriors are as popular as LeBron with the general public if not moreso also I think.

NBA ratings really took a hit with the Warriors not being good.

Im pretty sure he has one of the most watched finals game ever, but don't let reality get in the way of the real reason you're here.

[Axe]

Expected this.

People want to watch real sport.

Not entitled, colluding divas who are also boring on-court.

LeBarry has been holding the league back, time to toss the irrelevant guy out
Ironic this nutball said in one of the series thread that he's irrelevant atm. Yet here couldn't stop blabbering about him again.

[Spurs m8]

Ironic this nutball said in one of the series thread that he's irrelevant atm. Yet here couldn't stop blabbering about him again.

I knew you'd be getting upset....it was on topic

Keep pretending you're not a lebron nut hugger, dingus

[sdot_thadon]

Ironic this nutball said in one of the series thread that he's irrelevant atm. Yet here couldn't stop blabbering about him again.

Facts.

[Kblaze8855]

Dudes will shoehorn Lebron into anything just to have a fight about shit nobody normal cares about.

The Celtics and Nets have to be one of the only two contender first round matchups in history. It should have ratings. Let them have their moment independent of Lebron. He does not need to be part of every teams conversation.

[sdot_thadon]

One would think they should be happy someone else is getting ratings and attention, it's actually good for the game, but then again they are the same idiots that helped the decision have better ratings than the actual finals.....

[Soundwave]

Im pretty sure he has one of the most watched finals game ever, but don't let reality get in the way of the real reason you're here.

He's also been in 2/3 lowest rated NBA Finals ever, 2016 being a game 7 situation with the very popular Golden State Warriors being in should give you a large bump.

I'm just saying it's not like NBA ratings live or die entirely with LeBron James, he's a popular player obviously yes, but the league can get on fine without him.

I'd say honestly Golden State in the Steph Curry era is more important to NBA ratings than any of LeBron's teams. When Golden State is good, it helps NBA ratings a ton.

[Spurs m8]

i've never heard anyone say "man i gotta go watch LeBron play" for at least a decade now.

He simply isn't a draw card.

And by those comments above, i mean no one says it in a positive way.

All season we were tuning in to watch him fail, but that was for laughs

[Axe]

I knew you'd be getting upset....it was on topic

Keep pretending you're not a lebron nut hugger, dingus
Lol go kill yourself.

[coin24]

The average person thinks LeTiny is a loser..

The league will be better off when that cringey, bald, illiterate shit stain fu*ks off

[FKAri]

I wouldn't call them boring but KD and Kyrie Irving collided to play for the Nets.

Is that why they both missed so many games?

[sdot_thadon]

He's also been in 2/3 lowest rated NBA Finals ever, 2016 being a game 7 situation with the very popular Golden State Warriors being in should give you a large bump.

I'm just saying it's not like NBA ratings live or die entirely with LeBron James, he's a popular player obviously yes, but the league can get on fine without him.

I'd say honestly Golden State in the Steph Curry era is more important to NBA ratings than any of LeBron's teams. When Golden State is good, it helps NBA ratings a ton.
So, what you're telling me is: there's no player the league can't live without? Well f'n duh. History has shown us the next guy(s) will come along and pick the league back up. It happens every decade or so besides this one time where the league hinges on one guy for damn near 20 years.

[ArbitraryWater]

the LeBron effect :pimp: