The 2012 NBA Finals is earning high marks when it comes to television ratings due to the presence of the Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder and the stars they bring. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade bring a major presence and Kevin Durant is turning into a marketable icon as well. With several elite players and well-known celebs, it's going to be a great Finals.
That's why it's not surprising, then, that the ratings are so high across the board for game two last night. From the overnight press release:
The two-game NBA Finals overnight ratings average for 2012 is an 11.8, up 11 percent from last year. Game 2 peaked with a 15.1 rating from 11:30 to 11:45 p.m. ET.
What's specifically interesting about the ratings are the markets involved. The two teams involved dominate the local markets, but check out what Josh Krulewitz notes as well.
Top 5 markets for NBA Finals Game 2 ratings on ABC: OKC, Miami, Tulsa, West Palm Beach, & yes CLEVELAND. (Seattle was 39th)
— Josh Krulewitz (@jksports) June 15, 2012
For all of the fuss over the loss of the Seattle Supersonics to OKC, which was definitely handled the wrong way, the evidence isn't present so far in the Finals that there's a solid group of NBA fans who just want to watch great basketball. Perhaps that's a small sample size and an unfair comparison point, but it's interesting to say the least.
For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.