> The NBA took another L Wednesday. This time, in the NBA Finals on ABC with the Lakers and LeBron James. Only 7.41 million viewers watched the industry-hyped matchup. Per Sports Media Watch, this is the least-watched Finals opener since … on record. (sportsmediawatch.com)
> Game 1 is down an unheard of 44% from last year’s matchup, which featured a team from Canada. During last year’s Finals tank-job, media members yelled “one team is from Canada,” and “there is no LeBron.”
> The NBA is taking tanking to never-before-seen depths. If LeBron and the Lakers in the Finals can’t save this collapse — nothing will. This is the best-case scenario. Imagine these numbers when the Nuggets finally win the West and the media has to push that over the NFL.
> Compared to 2018, the last Finals with LeBron, Game 1 is down 58%. That kind of slide is what gets TV shows canceled and showrunners chased out of the business.
>> The NBA took another L Wednesday. This time, in the NBA Finals on ABC with the Lakers and LeBron James. Only 7.41 million viewers watched the industry-hyped matchup. Per Sports Media Watch, this is the least-watched Finals opener since … [on record.](https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2020/10/nba-finals-ratings-record-low-audience-game-1/)
>> Game 1 is down an unheard of 44% from last year’s matchup, which featured a team from Canada. During last year’s Finals tank-job, media members yelled “one team is from Canada,” and “there is no LeBron.”
>> The NBA is taking tanking to never-before-seen depths. If LeBron and the Lakers in the Finals can’t save this collapse — nothing will. This is the best-case scenario. Imagine these numbers when the Nuggets finally win the West and the media has to push that over the NFL.
>> Compared to 2018, the last Finals with LeBron, Game 1 is down 58%. That kind of slide is what gets TV shows canceled and showrunners chased out of the business.
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