OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Game 1 of the NBA Finals between Golden State and Cleveland drew a 13.1 overnight rating, the highest-rated Game 1 broadcast on ABC.
The rematch of last year’s finals featuring Stephen Curry and LeBron James, the NBA’s two biggest stars, was expected to garner large audiences.
Nielsen says the game on Thursday night broke ABC’s previous high of 12.9 for last year’s Game 1. It is also a 26 percent increase from Game 1 of the 2014 finals between Miami and San Antonio.
The game delivered a 36.0 rating in Cleveland and 32.8 in San Francisco. Ratings represent the percentage of U.S. homes with televisions tuned to a program.
Game 2 is on Sunday night in Oakland.