PISTONS Force GAME SEVEN, Giving A Boost To ABC FINALS

(From Sports Business Daily)

ABC earned a 10.5/17 overnight NIELSEN RATING last night for GAME SIX of the PISTONS/SPURS NBA FINALS, up 15.4% from a 9.1/16 for NETS/SPURS GAME SIX in 2003.

There is no comparable rating from last year, since the PISTONS/LAKERS series went only five games.

GAME SIX earned a 50.1 in San Antonio, up 19.9% from a 41.8 for NETS/SPURS GAME SIX in 2003. In Detroit, GAME SIX earned a 42.1. The local ratings for GAME SIX represent the highest rating so far in the series for both markets. Through the first five games of the series, ABC is averaging a 7.4/13, down 35.7% from an 11.5/20 in 2004, but up 17.5% from a 6.3/12 in 2003.

GAME FIVE tied with CBS' CSI as the second-highest rated show in primetime for the week with an 8.4/15. ABC's DANCING WITH THE STARS was the top-rated program of the week with a 10.6/17. GAMES THREE and FOUR of THE FINALS tied for seventh, each earning a 7.2/13.

USA TODAY's GARY LEVIN reports GAMES ONE through FIVE have drawn an average of 11.2 million viewers, "down sharply from last year’s 17.9 million, but ahead of the last LAKERS-less FINALS in 2003, when 9.5 million tuned in."

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's NELLIE ANDREEVA writes ABC last week won the adults 18-49 demo "on the strength" of THE NBA FINALS and DANCING WITH THE STARS. ABC had the top four programs of the week among adults 18-49 for the second consecutive week.

Appearing at halftime of ABC's GAME SIX coverage last night, NBA Commissioner DAVID STERN said, "Don't be fooled by the broadcast ratings stories because broadcast ratings are down, I guess from a decade ago, 35%. That's life, because kids are watching us and consuming us in video games, on the Internet, on wireless and a variety of ways that we've never seen, and now we will devote ourselves to capturing all of that."

In New York, SETH SCHIESEL wrote that since 2000, TV broadcast ratings "for almost all major sports have fallen among male viewers" ages 12-34. Over the same period, sales of sports video games in the U.S. have risen by about 34%, to more than $1.2 billion last year from less than $900 million in 2000.

Stern, on young consumers choosing videogames over watching NBA games on TV -- "The competition for eyeballs is so intense now that if our customers are not consuming us on television, we would rather have them consuming us on a video game than doing something else."

In San Antonio, TIM GRIFFIN writes, "THE SPURS clearly are the favored team of the international press corps, considering the team has representatives from four different countries and one U.S. territory. Several of the foreign press corps have been slapping hands and patting the backs of SPURS players after victories or big performances."

One ASIAN newspaper representative "appeared in the team's locker room after the game with the SPURS' logo painted on her face. Even worse, she was wearing an 'I LOVE MANU' tattoo on her arm as she conducted interviews."