NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC Debut:
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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