ABC Ratings Stay Strong

ABC had another winning night at the NBA Finals with a 10.5 national rating and a 19 share for Game 3, making it the highest-rated show on network television Thursday night.

The rating was 50% higher than the 7.0 for Game 3 between New Jersey and San Antonio last year, but only 3% higher than the 10.2 for Game 2 in 2002, when it was the Lakers and Nets.

The three games this year have averaged a 10.4 national rating, a 68% increase over the 6.2 in 2003 but only 4% higher than the 10.0 in 2002.

Game 3 Thursday night got a 28.6 rating and a 47 share in L.A., and a 40.0/56 in Detroit.

Each national rating point represents about 1.08 million households, and each L.A. rating point represents about 54,000 households.