The start of the 2025 NBA Finals offered excitement on the court with a thrilling finish that gave the victory to the Indiana Pacers over the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-110, but the television audience levels did not match that intensity and have become a concern for the league.
The game broadcasted by ABC averaged a rating of 4.7, with 8.91 million viewers, making it the least-watched Game 1 since the Nielsen measurement system was implemented in 1988, excluding the atypical years of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
This drop represents a 19% decrease in the number of viewers compared to last year’s opening game, when the Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks 107-89. The impact could have been even greater if it weren’t for the exciting final comeback led by Tyrese Haliburton, who secured an unexpected victory for the Pacers.
Was the size of the markets a factor in the low audience numbers?
Prior to the final, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver faced several questions about two small-market teams playing in the league finals.
Indianapolis and Oklahoma City together are cities that have a total of 1.5 million inhabitants and represent the 25th and 47th markets, respectively, according to the Nielsen classification.
Silver defended the NBA’s business model, which accommodates smaller markets in the United States, such as Oklahoma City, Salt Lake City, or Memphis. In addition, he recently closed deals for television rights valued at 76 billion dollars for the next eleven years, which reinforces its economic stability regardless of the loss of audience.
The NBA communication team also highlighted positive data from the first game. During the closing moments of the game, when Tyrese Haliburton scored the game-winning shot with just 0.3 seconds left, the broadcast reached a peak of 11 million viewers. Additionally, the 18-34 age group showed strong performance in audience measurement, and a record number of views were registered on digital platforms related to the event.
This Sunday, starting at 8 pm, Game 2 will be played in Oklahoma City, which will be broadcasted on ABC in the United States and ESPN in Latin America.
