On April 17th, ESPN delivered the top two most-watched SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament Eastern Conference Games ever!
The matchup between the Miami Heat and the Philadelphia 76ers on ESPN, according to Nielsen, garnered an average of 3,403,000 viewers. Viewership peaked at 5,490,000 around 9:30 p.m. ET—up 52% from last year’s Eastern Conference (EC) 7th seed vs. 8th seed game.
As for the Atlanta Hawks vs. Chicago Bulls game, the ESPN broadcast delivered an average of 3,071,000 viewers; which is up 31% from last year’s EC 9th seed vs. 10th seed game. The Bulls’ victory over the Hawks ranks only behind this year’s Heat vs. 76ers game, becoming the second-most watched EC Play-In Tournament game ever.
Additionally, NBA Countdown Presented by Hennessy, averaged 591,000 viewers leading into the April 17 doubleheader, up 52% from last year’s NBA Countdown show leading into the NBA Play-In Tournament coverage.
Today, the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament continues as the Miami Heat gear up to face the Chicago Bulls. The two square off for the right to play the top-seeded Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs Presented by Google Pixel.
