The people at ESPN and ABC Sports are psyched.
Why? Because the NBA just put on a show with some of the more entertaining first round playoff series in recent memory.
When I spoke on Friday to Len DeLuca, senior vice president of programming and acquisitions for ESPN and ABC Sports, he could hardly contain himself.
The first two weeks of the NBA Playoffs have shown double-digit gains over last season with all three outlets — ESPN, ABC and TNT — experiencing increased viewing.
There are several reasons for the spike, the most obvious being Cleveland phenom LeBron James’s arrival on the playoff map. But the quality of play and emergence of new stars on the national scene — including one who calls Verizon Center home — have helped the playoffs become a stirring success thus far.
“We know that Wizards fans knew Gilbert Arenas was something special but when the rest of the country got to see how he and LeBron James battled in that epic six-game series, Arenas became a national star,” DeLucasaid. “That is what the playoffs are about, the emerging stars of the league and clearly Gilbert is one of those stars. The Washington-Cleveland series helped us achieve what many are calling the NBA’s best first round of playoff games in league history.”
And this performance comes despite intense competition from NASCAR, especially on weekends.
“We are aware that NASCAR has a very dedicated following and that is great because next season they will be on ESPN/ABC,” DeLuca said. “However, being a strong No. 2 to NASCAR each weekend is something we are pleased with. The series thus far have been compelling and we have proved that teams can be just as big a draw as the players. Dallas, Phoenix, the Clippers, San Antonio and Detroit all have shown an ability to draw.”
DeLuca credits the NBA’s use of varied media to sell its product as a reason for growth in an age that offers more and more entertainment options.
“The NBA got the cross-platform formula long before anyone else did,” DeLuca said. “They know that having a large number of games on cable along with huge access to product on the Internet and through wireless devices such as PDA’s and cell phones makes the brand so strong.”
The playoffs continue this week on ESPN, TNT and ABC. And we’re just getting started. The NBA Finals are set for June 8-22 on ABC 7.
Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer.
