TV Viewership Tracker: L3 through week ending June 21st, 2026, and NBA Finals

Research evidence excerpt

TV Viewership Tracker: L3 through week ending June 21st, 2026, and NBA Finals

Equity Research

22 June 2026 | 4:30PM EDT

AMERICAS MEDIA

TV Viewership Tracker: L3 through week ending June 21st, 2026, and

NBA Finals

We refresh our Nielsen TV ratings tracker for our US Media coverage that includes Michael Ng, CFA

+1(212)902-8618 | michael.ng@gs.com

traditional ACM (average commercial minute) prime time and total day ratings Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

across broadcast and cable. This edition focuses on C3 cable and broadcast ratings Yash Goenka, CFA

through week ending June 7th, 2026 (14 day delay), and L3 cable ratings through +1(212)934-6312yash.goenka@gs.com|

week ending June 21st, 2026. Goldman Sachs India SPL

Prime time commercial ratings for broadcast ex-sports were down 5% yoy in

2Q26-TD (through week ending June 7th). Prime time commercial ratings

increased 27% for broadcast including sports and decreased 13% for cable, in

2Q26-TD (through week ending June 7th).

NBA 2025-26 Finals

The 2025-26 NBA Finals marked a significant inflection point, following an 8%

CAGR decline in average viewership from 2017 to 2025. NBA 2025/26 season

average audience through NBA Finals increased 25% y/y, reversing two consecutive

seasons of declines. That said, NBA Finals 2025-26 averaged 20.6 mn viewers,

representing the most-watched NBA postseason in 28 years (since 1998) driven by a

historic matchup between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs, per the

NBA. Viewership peaked during the decisive Game 5, which drew an average of 24.5

mn viewers and reached a high of 33 mn viewers as the Knicks secured their first

championship in 53 years. Furthermore, digital engagement demonstrated

unprecedented growth. The five-game series generated a record 15 bn views across