What were the television ratings for the 1987 NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics?
The 1987 NBA Finals averaged a 15.9 rating on CBS with 24.12 million viewers across six games.
Questions about NBA Finals television ratings
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Which year recorded the highest average viewership for an NBA Finals series in history?
The 1998 NBA Finals between the Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz became the most watched series in history with 29.04 million viewers on NBC.
How many viewers watched Game 6 of the 1993 NBA Finals between the Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns?
Game 6 of that series drew 32.10 million viewers, making it one of the most watched single games ever.
Why did viewership figures drop significantly following the 2016 NBA Finals?
Viewership dropped to just 7.5 million by 2020 due to pandemic disruptions and shifting audience habits during global health restrictions.
When did ABC begin broadcasting finals after acquiring rights from NBC?
ABC began broadcasting finals in 2002 after acquiring rights from NBC and achieved a 15.8 rating for 31.02 million viewers in the 2016 Game 7.