Stephen Curry absent and the duo LeBron James – Kevin Durant quickly eliminated, these 2024 playoffs mark a change of era, and faces, for the Great League.
Enough to lead to a slight drop in audience compared to the first round of the previous season.
So, according to SportsMediaWatch, the first round matches attracted an average of 3.14 million viewers, on the channels of ABC, ESPN, TNT/truTV and NBA TV, for 1.7% market share. That is a drop of 8% compared to the first round last year, which was followed by 3.44 million viewers on average.
An Anthony Edwards effect?
However, Adam Silver and his broadcasters can console themselves by saying that this remains the second best average since 2018, with the NBA generally returning to its pre-Covid averages.
Above all, if the absence or elimination of its usual headliners undoubtedly had an impact on the first round, the first matches of the second round on the other hand show clear positive signs. Thus, American viewers seem to be passionate about Anthony Edwards' Wolves, Game 1 against the Nuggets having been followed by 4.93 million viewers. This is 20% more than Game 1 between the Nuggets and the Suns last year!
