NEW YORK (AP) — The L.A. Lakers’ series-clinching win over the Boston Celtics was the most-watched NBA game since Michael Jordan won his sixth and final championship in 1998.
The Nielsen Co. said Thursday’s game on ABC was the most-watched event during television’s summer season since the first “Survivor” finale in 2000, with the exception of the Olympics.
During the game’s deciding moments in the fourth quarter, viewership peaked at 36.5 million even though it was after 11:30 p.m. on the East Coast.
It continues a trend of big events in sports and entertainment getting big ratings, attributed in part to the rapid acceptance of high-definition television. This year’s Super Bowl ranks as the most most-watched program in U.S. television history.
