• by Wayne Friedman , June 14, 2024

The NBA Finals so far has seen a boom in national TV advertising revenues -- up 40% -- versus a year ago to $107.9 million on ABC through three games, according to estimates from EDO Ad EnGage.

The series between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks is nearly even in viewership with the last two Finals series in 2023 and 2022.

Nielsen measurement shows viewership of the Celtics-Mavericks series at 11.57 million average viewers through three games versus 11.58 million for the Denver Nuggets-Miami Heat in 2023. 

Compared to the three-game series in 2022 (Golden State Warriors-Boston Celtics) it is down slightly by 2% -- 11.78 million after three games.

The NBA Finals a year ago ultimately ended in five games, averaging 11.64 million; the six-game series in 2022 was at 12.40 million.

This year's series on ABC this year has seen 252 brand airings and 2.9 billion impressions, according to EDO Ad EnGage, compared to 273 airings and 3.1 billion impressions -- and $75.6 million in national TV ad revenue --  through the first three games of a year ago. 

This year NBA Finals is also up 18% in national TV ad revenue over the first three games of the 2022 series, then totaling $91.1 million.

Three of the top marketers this year are studios, advertising their big summer films: Universal Pictures ($6.5 million), Sony Pictures ($5.2 million) and Walt Disney Studios ($3.11 million). Another entertainment focused marketer, YouTube TV has spent $4.7 million.

Typically, movie studios are major brand advertisers in the NBA Finals.

That category has already spent an estimated $18.2 million for this series. Automotive marketers are next at $13.5 million.