NBC (Barely) Escapes It's Ultimate Nightmare!

[PublicRef2 <norwood@mln.lib.ma.us>]

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Last night (June 4th), NBC almost experienced the ultimate nightmare as
regards it's NBA basketball coverage.

Given how the ratings have plunged in the two years since Michael "Air"
Jordan retired, NBC badly wanted a New York/L.A. Lakers NBA final to get
teams in the top two TV markets, which would boost ratings.

Indiana saw to it on Friday that New York wouldn't make it, and for much
of last night, it looked like Portland would deny the Lakers a trip to
the finals (which might have been the biggest upset in NBA history). NBC
executives both in 30 Rock and in Burbank must have breathed a sigh of
relief when the Lakers came back to win.

Had it been an Indiana/Portland final (two small-market teams), NBC's
NBA finals ratings would probably have been at an all-time low, and
perhaps not much better than ABC's ratings for the NHL Stanley Cup
finals (By the way, does anyone know how Saturday's New Jersey/Dallas
game did? With teams in the # 1 and # 8 TV markets, I would think the
game did much beter than the 3.1 Fox averaged a year ago for three games
they did of the 1999 Dallas/Buffalo finals--perhaps all the way up to a
4, just because of the New York market!).

NBC has (Barely) Escaped It's Ultimate Nightmare!

Joseph Gallant
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