“NBA Finals Game Five on ABC averages 13M viewers, up 30% from last year”: Warriors and Stephen Curry continue to be a major draws

Game Five of the 2022 NBA Finals clocks 13M views, up 30% from last year. A positive sign for the league post losing billions of dollars during the pandemic COVID-19.

The 2022 NBA Finals have lived up to expectations, with Big market teams like the Warriors and Celtics battling it out neck to neck. The COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on almost every global industry, no matter its size or scale of operations, the sporting world being no different.

According to an ESPN report, the NBA suffered an estimated loss of 10% in its revenue, accounting for $8.3B during the 2019-20 season. With games being canceled, postponed, and no fans in the arena. Fortunately, things look to be on the upward curve, with the recent viewership reports being evidence.

The Warriors continue to be a big draw for the NBA, considering the star power on the team boasting Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. On the other hand, the Boston Celtics is one of the most iconic franchises in the history of the league, enjoying a loyal fan following.

Also read: “No one has scared me more than Stephen Curry”: Celtics analyst Dan Greenberg admits the Warriors MVP keeps him awake over LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and Giannis

The 2022 Finals has experienced a jump of 26% in its viewership from last year. The official broadcasting partner of the Finals, ABC, is dominating TV with a share of 19.4, up 29% from last year.

2022 NBA Finals sets a new high for viewership.

Game Five generated an average of 13M viewers as the Warriors took a 3-2 lead against the Celtics. According to Nielson, the ABC broadcast was up 30% vs. last year’s Game Five.

In a report by ESPN Press Room,

Game Five peaked with 15,352,000 viewers at 11:15 pm ET and propelled ABC to win the night across all of television, including in every key demographic. The five most-watched programs of the month across all of television are each of the first five NBA Finals games.

Through five games, viewership for the NBA Finals on ABC is averaging 12,087,000 viewers, up 26 percent vs. 2021, and is the most-watched in three years. On average, one in every five people watching television on the nights NBA Finals games are airing are tuned into ABC.

While Steph Curry continues to be a major crowd puller, there has been an increasing demand to watch the young Celtics roster comprising Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart.

Also read: “Ja Morant with 791 million views, while Stephen Curry nearly doubling it with 1.4 billion”: Bizarre stat showcases how the GSW MVP has been dominating NBA’s social media presence