Cavaliers-Warriors fatigue? Not for the TV viewers

If America’s basketball fans have grown weary of watching the Warriors and Cavaliers clash in the NBA Finals, the TV ratings have yet to reflect it.

Thursday night’s Game 1 on ABC drew approximately the same numbers as last year’s opener. The game, played at Oracle Arena and won by Golden State in overtime, posted a 12.3 rating in Nielsen’s metered market households. For comparison, 2017’s Game 1 drew a 12.4 household rating.

Last night’s ratings peaked at 14.9 as the game came down to the wire. That’s up from last year’s peak of 13.9. Final numbers will be available later today.

The Warriors and Cavs are meeting in the NBA Finals for the fourth straight season. It’s the first time in any major team sport that the same two teams have met to determine the championship.

According to Variety, last year’s Game 1 initially drew a 5.9 rating in adults 18-49 and 15.7 million viewers before adjusting up to a 6.9 and 18.7 million. Game 1 in 2016 drew a 7.3 rating and 19.2 million viewers when all was said and done.

It was generally assumed that a fourth meeting between the same two teams — combined with the fact that the Warriors are overwhelming favorites — might weaken the appeal of this year’s Finals. But Thursday’s dramatic, closely contested opener, with several strange twists and turns, might actually heighten interest.

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