ABC Draws 16.43 Million for NBA Finals Game 2 as Stanley Cup Final Jumps 101%
Updated
Updated · Front Office Sports · Jun 9
ABC Draws 16.43 Million for NBA Finals Game 2 as Stanley Cup Final Jumps 101%
3 articles · Updated · Front Office Sports · Jun 9
Summary
16.43 million viewers watched ABC’s NBA Finals Game 2 on Friday, up 88% from a year earlier and the biggest Game 2 audience since the 2018 Cavaliers-Warriors series.
16.68 million viewers is the Finals’ average through two games, up 89% from 2025, helped by comeback finishes in all three basketball games and gains that exceed the roughly 10%-15% lift tied to Nielsen methodology changes.
4.9 million viewers is the Stanley Cup Final’s average through three games on ABC and ESPN support, up 101% year over year; Saturday’s double-overtime Game 3 drew 5 million, the most-watched Game 3 in 24 years.
ABC has alternated NBA Finals and Stanley Cup Final coverage across consecutive primetime nights, a scheduling run Disney believes is lifting both series as the Knicks lead the Spurs 2-1 and Vegas leads Carolina 2-1.
The ratings surge gives Disney a bright spot as ESPN prepares for more layoffs and the company’s stock remains down more than 11% this year under new CEO Josh D’Amaro.