Most-Watched, Highest-Rated Non-Christmas Game of Regular-Season Across All Nets
Won the Night Across Prime-Time Television in All Key Adult and Male Demos
The debut edition of NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC presented by La Quinta (Jan. 23) delivered the most-watched and highest-rated non-Christmas game of the regular season across all networks, according Nielsen. The broadcast, which saw the Chicago Bulls defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 96-83, averaged nearly four million viewers (3,916,000, p2+), peaking with 4,534,000 viewers (p2+) from 10:45-11 p.m. ET. It generated a 2.4 U.S. household rating.
NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC propelled the network to win the night across prime-time broadcast and cable television on Saturday in all key adult and male demos, including 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54.
NBA Countdown, which preceded the game at 8 p.m., averaged 2,437,000 viewers (p2+) and a 1.6 U.S. household rating. In both metrics this is the best for a regular-season, non-Christmas NBA Countdown show since March 11, 2012.
Looking ahead
ESPN will generally televise NBA games across four days per week for the majority of the regular season. Here’s the upcoming schedule, which includes details about this week’s edition of NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC: the San Antonio Spurs and Tim Duncan visit the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James at 8:30 p.m.
| Date | Time (ET) | Telecast/Commentators | Network (s) |
| Wed., Jan. 27 | 7:30 p.m. | NBA Countdown charged by Mountain Dew
Doris Burke, Jalen Rose, Chauncey Billups |
ESPN, WatchESPN |
| 8 p.m. | Houston Rockets at San Antonio Spurs presented by State Farm
Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Israel Gutierrez |
ESPN, WatchESPN | |
| 10:30 p.m. | Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors presented by State Farm
Dave Pasch, Jon Barry, J.A. Adande |
ESPN, WatchESPN
|
|
| Fri., Jan 29 | 1:30 a.m. | NBA Tonight
Doug Kezirian, Tim Legler |
ESPN2, WatchESPN |
| 8 p.m. | NBA Coast to Coast
Doug Kezirian, Brad Daugherty, Amin Elhassan, Ryen Russillo, J.A. Adande |
ESPN2, WatchESPN | |
| Sat., Jan 30 | 1 a.m. | NBA Tonight
Doug Kezirian, Brad Daugherty |
ESPN2, WatchESPN |
| 8 p.m. | NBA Countdown presented by Straight Talk Wireless
Sage Steele, Doug Collins, Jalen Rose |
ABC, WatchESPN | |
| 8:30 p.m. | San Antonio Spurs at Cleveland Cavaliers presented by La Quinta
Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Heather Cox Radio: Marc Kestecher, Jon Barry |
ABC, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio, WatchESPN | |
| Sun., Jan 31 | 12:30 a.m. | NBA Tonight
Doug Kezirian, Ryen Russillo |
ESPN2, WatchESPN |
| 3 p.m. | NBA Countdown presented by Straight Talk Wireless
Sage Steele, Doug Collins, Jalen Rose |
ABC, WatchESPN | |
| 3:30 p.m. | Chicago Bulls at Los Angeles Clippers presented by BBVA
Dave Pasch, Hubie Brown, Chris Broussard Radio: Kevin Calabro, P.J. Carlesimo, Stephen A. Smith |
ABC, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio, WatchESPN |
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Media contact: Ben Cafardo at 860-766-3496 or ben.cafardo@espn.com (@Ben_ESPN).
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