Knicks’ Game 5 Victory Set an NBA Ratings Record Dating Back to the 1990s
Nielsen said the telecast peaked at 33 million viewers as the Knicks rallied to clinch their first title since 1973.
- The New York Knicks captured their first NBA Championship since 1973 on Saturday night, with Nielsen ratings showing the clinching Game 5 telecast averaged 24.5 million viewers, the most-watched NBA Finals game since 1998.
- NBA Finals viewership had trended downward in recent years; last year's Game 5 between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder averaged 9.5 million viewers, setting the stage for this year's resurgence.
- Across five games, the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs finals averaged approximately 20.6 million viewers according to ESPN, with the audience peaking at 33 million viewers during the final minutes of the championship-clinching rally.
- Celebrities including Taylor Swift, Whoopi Goldberg, and Sydney Sweeney witnessed the Knicks overcome a nearly 30-point deficit to defeat the San Antonio Spurs 107 to 106 in a dramatic comeback.
- Writing for Front Office Sports, Michael McCarthy observed the victory represents a resurgence for the $14.3 billion league, challenging years of prevailing negative media narratives about the NBA.
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San Antonio Spurs vs. New York Knicks most watched NBA Finals since 1998
The five-game series pitting the San Antonio Spurs against the New York Knicks was the most-watched NBA Finals since 1998, suggesting renewed interest in the league after years of declining viewership. The 2026 NBA Finals averaged 20.6 million viewers, surpassing the 2017 Warriors-Cavaliers Finals and marking the highest Finals average since the 1998 Bulls-Jazz series, […] The post San Antonio Spurs vs. New York Knicks most watched NBA Finals si…
Knicks-Spurs scores NBA Finals’ highest ratings in 28 years
With an average of 20.6 million views, per Nielsen, this month's NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs was the most-watched finals since 1998.The Knicks' 94-90 title-clinching Game 5 victory on Saturday night drew an average of 24.5 million viewers on ESPN and ABC, the most in a Game 5 of the finals since 1998. That 1998 series, with Michael Jordan and the Bulls winning their sixth championship by ousting the Utah Jazz…
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Clayton NewsKnicks-Spurs scores NBA Finals' highest ratings in 28 years
With an average of 20.6 million views, per Nielsen, this month's NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs was the most-watched finals since 1998.
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