The TV ratings for game one of the NBA Finals between the Celtics and Warriors were absolutely horrible.
According to TVSeriesFinale.com, the Boston Celtics earning a huge 120-108 victory over Steph Curry and the Warriors in game one of the NBA Finals averaged 8.13 million viewers on ABC in the early data. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
The Hollywood Reporter reported that the final data showed the game had north of 11 million viewers, which is a huge tick up.
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For comparison, the average season four episode of “Yellowstone” also averaged north of 11 million viewers. Yes, the NBA’s biggest event of the year got similar ratings to your average “Yellowstone” episode.
Granted, it’s the best show on TV, but that shouldn’t ever happen. There’s never an excuse for a major sporting event to have similar ratings to a scripted show.
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I guess this is what happens when you bow down to China and refuse to take a stand for human rights.
When you go ultra-political, fans stop caring and watching. The numbers are crystal clear, and it’s a very tough look for the NBA.
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Best of luck to the NBA for the rest of the series. There’s no question the league is going to need it.
*This piece has been updated to reflect the latest data as it rolled in.