John Corn
12-28-02, 07:09 AM
http://tv.yahoo.com/news/va/20021227/104098074900.html
A Christmas Day marquee matchup pitting a pair of robust rivals has helped the National Basketball Assn. get off to a good start on its new broadcast network home, ABC.
According to data from Nielsen's top "metered" markets, ABC's coverage of the primetime contest between the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings (8:30-11:15 p.m. ET) delivered a 5.8 rating/11 share in households -- the best for a Christmas primetime game in five years.
The first contest this season between last spring's Western Conference finalists performed 32% higher than last year's Christmas game on NBC (4.4/9). It delivered a hearty 13.9/30 in Los Angeles and a 17.5/30 in Sacramento.
The NBA, looking to give ABC a big push with its first broadcasts of a new six-year contract with the league, scheduled rematches of both of last spring's conference finals for Christmas.
Earlier in the day, the Eastern Conference Finals rematch of the Boston Celtics and New Jersey Nets (6-8:30 p.m. ET) delivered a 3.8/9 in metered markets, despite a lopsided Nets victory.
ABC will air 15 regular-season games this season as well as the NBA Finals ( news - web sites) in June. Cablers ESPN and TNT split the regular-season action, with ESPN also airing key playoff contests and TNT the midseason All-Star Game.
Disney-owned ABC and ESPN ponied up $2.4 billion to carry the NBA over the next six years, with AOL Time Warner chipping in $2.2 billion for its TNT package.
NBC, the broadcast home of the NBA for the previous 12 seasons, dropped out of the bidding for the new contract after suffering losses reportedly topping $100 million last season.
A Christmas Day marquee matchup pitting a pair of robust rivals has helped the National Basketball Assn. get off to a good start on its new broadcast network home, ABC.
According to data from Nielsen's top "metered" markets, ABC's coverage of the primetime contest between the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings (8:30-11:15 p.m. ET) delivered a 5.8 rating/11 share in households -- the best for a Christmas primetime game in five years.
The first contest this season between last spring's Western Conference finalists performed 32% higher than last year's Christmas game on NBC (4.4/9). It delivered a hearty 13.9/30 in Los Angeles and a 17.5/30 in Sacramento.
The NBA, looking to give ABC a big push with its first broadcasts of a new six-year contract with the league, scheduled rematches of both of last spring's conference finals for Christmas.
Earlier in the day, the Eastern Conference Finals rematch of the Boston Celtics and New Jersey Nets (6-8:30 p.m. ET) delivered a 3.8/9 in metered markets, despite a lopsided Nets victory.
ABC will air 15 regular-season games this season as well as the NBA Finals ( news - web sites) in June. Cablers ESPN and TNT split the regular-season action, with ESPN also airing key playoff contests and TNT the midseason All-Star Game.
Disney-owned ABC and ESPN ponied up $2.4 billion to carry the NBA over the next six years, with AOL Time Warner chipping in $2.2 billion for its TNT package.
NBC, the broadcast home of the NBA for the previous 12 seasons, dropped out of the bidding for the new contract after suffering losses reportedly topping $100 million last season.