Finals ratings lowest since 1981

[bd811]

Lakers-Nets also down 19 percent from last year

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Associated Press


NEW YORK -- The NBA is leaving NBC with a fizzle, not a bang.

The network's coverage of the NBA finals were enough to give the network a prime-time ratings victory last week. But through the first three games, it's stacking up to be the lowest-rated NBA championship since 1981, Nielsen Media Research said Tuesday.

Ratings for the Los Angeles Lakers-New Jersey Nets series are down 19 percent from last year, when the Lakers beat the Philadelphia 76ers.

Before the finals, NBC had been doing well. Playoff ratings had been up 14 percent over last year, culminating in the exciting seven-game series between the Lakers and Sacramento Kings, and the six-game series between the Nets and Boston Celtics.

"We haven't had the benefit of that with the finals," NBC Sports spokeswoman Cameron Blanchard said. "It's been a one-team show."

The Lakers won the first three games of the series. NBC's contract to show the NBA ends after the finals, with ABC and ESPN taking over next year.

[lal4l]

Well I have to admit this is the most boring finals I have to say it the Lakers and Nets are nothing I loved the seris before this but the Finals seris is pretty boring can you also give me more info on the TV schedaule?

[bd811]

the schdule of the finals?

12 Wed L.A. Lakers @ New Jersey
NBA Finals 9:00 pm EST -- NBC,CTV
14 Fri L.A. Lakers @ New Jersey
if necessary 9:00 pm EST -- NBC,CTV
17 Mon New Jersey @ L.A. Lakers
if necessary 9:00 pm EST -- NBC,CTV
19 Wed New Jersey @ L.A. Lakers
if necessary 9:00 pm EST -- NBC,CTV

[lal4l]

No the scheduale like what channels will be broadcasting the games next year

[bd811]

oh im not sure. theyll probably do something like baseball does. a sunday game and a wednesday game or something(one on espn and the other on abc), but im not sure about the schedule. They wont have that out until closer to next season.

[lal4l]

k thanks!

[Special_K19]

I'm not surprised the ratings are down. The Lakers are a rather boring team. They pound the ball into Shaq virtually every time down the court. They don't let Kobe display his athleticism as much as they should, therefore, I find their style to be very bland. The Nets are also a very boring team. Aside from Kidd they have no stars, and Kidd isn't a prolific scorer to wow the fans. Also, because it is such a mismatch, the Lakers will most likely sweep, no one will watch because they already know the outcome.

[lal4l]

true Lakers can get fun sometimes like kObe alley oupping and stuff and shaq and the NEts cans ometimes to with Kenyon Martin

[Trots]

From what I hear, the new NBA tv deal is going to be very different. One of the biggest changes is that when ABC/ESPN carry a "national" game, your local network (cable or broadcast) can NOT televise the home team.

As an example, when TBS/TNT show a game nationally, I can still see the Pistons on the local Fox Sports Net affiliate or UPN station. With the new NBA/ABC deal, there will be no local coverage of the Pistons on those times there are "national" games. If that is true, I don't like it at all.

I also wonder how this will affect their pay-per-view package? MLB won't allow their Extra Innings package to broadcast any games until the Fox or ESPN coverage is completed. If that's the case for the ABC deal, it diminishes the value of the NBA pay-per-view, imo.

As for the ratings, most sports tv ratings continue to decline. With more and more tv options, the games have to be compelling enough for others to turn them on. As Special_K pointed out, this series was considered over before it started. So much for the "big" tv markets automatically creating big tv ratings. I do wonder how a Lakers/Celtics final would have done?

Does anyone else think the NBA-style of basketball is just gone in the toilet over the last 10-12 years, or is it just me in my old age?

[lal4l]

It is all about the benjamins TRU

[Special_K19]

I would have loved to watch any team but the Nets. I hated their style and obviously many fans feel the same way. I also would have prefered to see the Kings. The Kings and Celtics both have great up-temp style basketball that would have brought the fans. Plus, the marketability was just as good if not better with the players involved. New superstars like Bibby, Pierce, and Peja could have been promoted to further enhance the game; instead, the NBA is stuck to continue to promote Shaq and Kobe.

It actually reminds a lot of the mid 90's WCW. They kept promoting the old stars like Hogan and Nash and didn't promote the young guys and thus hurt themselves when the old guys left/retired. The NBA, conspiracy theories aside, couldn't change the outcome of the games and were handcuffed into what they could do to promote young stars.

[milky_way]

the Finals was boring...i didn't even watch every game. the NBA Finals hasn't been exciting recently. the last exciting one was 2000.

[bd811]

i watcched the first half of the first quarter of the first game.:biggrin: that was it. last year was boring too.

[lal4l]

YOU DID NOT SEE THE LAKERS WIN THE TROPHY:confused:

[bd811]

not unless they did it in the 1st half of the 1st quarter of the 1st game...

[milky_way]

Originally posted by bd811
last year was boring too.
last year i watched game 1 and game 5 :). i don't like Philly, LA, or NJ, so the post 2000 Finals haven't been fun for me :ohno:

[bd811]

well you did have a bunch of years before that! jazz & pacers both!

[milky_way]

Originally posted by bd811
well you did have a bunch of years before that! jazz & pacers both!
true...those were the good years...now if only Jordan wasn't there :pout: