NBA Finals Game 1 hits record low viewership in the last 37 years despite Indiana Pacers' massive comeback
NBA Finals Game 1. Photo via Getty Images
Game 1 of the NBA Finals
between the
Indiana Pacers
and the Oklahoma City Thunder has recorded the
lowest viewership in the last 37 years
. Even though the Pacers' last-minute win received wide applause from the audience, it did not leave any potential mark on the overall viewership of the match.
However, the last shot by Tyrese Haliburton did leave a scope for a higher count in the upcoming matches of the Finale.
Tyrese Haliburton's impressive shot adds to Game 1 viewership as he leads Indiana Pacers to their first win in the NBA Finals
Most of the sports analysts were proven wrong in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, where they believed that the championship win would be a one-sided affair favoring the Oklahoma City Thunder. The team has shown some of the most interesting moments in the Western Conference playoffs before facing defeat in the very first match of the Finals.
All of the predictions were nullified as the Indiana Pacers re-established themselves as the comeback kings with the last-minute 2-point dunk by Tyrese Haliburton, leading the team to a surprising victory.
Thunder's dominance since the beginning of the game did not prove to be useful by the end.
While the audience present in the stadium had the privilege to witness some nail-biting, intense moments throughout the game, the excitement was not reflected in the viewership numbers as the game was aired on ABC.
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Game 1 of the 2024-25 NBA Finals recorded the lowest viewership count, standing at 8.91 million. The first-ever numbers were tracked in the year 1988, and the 2025 stats hit the lowest, excluding the years of Covid-impacted series, 2020 and 2021.
Not just that, it was also the lowest-rated Game 1 of all time, which received a score of 4.7. However, towards the end of the match, the viewership had somewhat increased as Haliburton saved his team from a crushing defeat with a 2-point dunk, turning the tables in the last minute. Post the player's shot, the viewership increased to 11 million, which now somewhat gives hope for a higher viewership in the upcoming games.
Also read:
'A f***** superstar' – Dwyane Wade is determined to get Tyrese Haliburton's signed jersey as Indiana Pacers guard secured a huge Game 1 victory
While the stats for the viewership on ABC hit their lowest, Game 1 of the NBA Finals set an all-time record, generating more than 500 million views on social media. Game 2 has been scheduled on Sunday, June 8, 2025.
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