NBA Networks Slam Dunk $436 Million In Ad Revenues

NBA’s networks TNT, ESPN and ABC all witnessed higher national advertising revenues so far through three rounds of the NBA playoff season.

So far this year, NBA networks -- through the conference finals -- have pulled in $436.7 million, up 12% from $390.2 million a year ago, according to iSpot.tv. Top national TV advertisers include: Kia, at $14.3 million; Samsung Mobile, with $14.0 million; Taco Bell, at $11.6 miliion; State Farm, with $10.6 million; and American Express at $9.7 million.

TNT, which aired the most playoff games at 42 contests, pulled in some $257.2 million -- up versus the $224.6 million the network pulled in a year ago.

Through 42 playoff games this year, TNT averaged 4.7 million viewers -- up 12% versus a year ago.

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The seventh and deciding game of the Western Conference finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Oklahoma Thunder earned a massive Nielsen 16 million average total viewers -- the highest NBA game ever on cable TV and the best overall rating ever for a program on TNT.

This year, Kia ($11.5 million), Samsung Mobile ($10.0 million); American Express ($9.1 million); GEICO ($8.8 million) and Autotrader ($6.6 million) were TNT’s top five TV NBA Playoff advertisers.

For 25 NBA playoff games this year, ESPN pulled in $109.1 million in national advertising -- Toyota ($5.4 million), State Farm ($3.1 million); Taco Bell ($2.9 million); Universal ($2.6 million) and Samsung Mobile ($2.5 million) were the biggest advertisers during the period. In 2015, ESPN pulled in $107.5 million in national advertising.

For its nine NBA playoff games, ABC totaled $65.97 million in national advertising -- with Honda ($2.6 million); Taco Bell ($2.4 million); Universal Pictures ($2.3 million); Ford ($1.7 million); Samsung Mobile ($1.50 million); and Hyundai ($1.45 million) as the top advertisers. A year ago, ABC pulled in $52.7 million.

Starting Thursday, ABC will again air the NBA Finals series. The Golden State Warriors do battle with Cleveland Cavaliers -- a repeat of the series a year ago where the Warriors won in six games.

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