NBA on NBC will cash in on Kentucky Derby audience with Celtics-Sixers Game 7

Credit: imagn images via Reuters Connect

NBC has made an unprecedented push in live sports on broadcast television thanks to their new TV contracts with the NBA and MLB. And it will pay off in a huge way on Saturday with a massive day of sports.

NBC will air the Kentucky Derby on Saturday. And although it may not immediately jump to mind as one of the most-watched sporting events of the year, it certainly is, at least for the race portion.

Last year’s race drew an incredible 36-year high with 17.7 million viewers. The Kentucky Derby is a social happening and it’s one of those sporting events that likely benefits from Nielsen’s increased focus on out-of-home viewership. But outside of the NFL, there are very few events that can command that kind of audience.

And it will lead to a great day for not just NBC and horse racing, but the NBA as well.

The Association has also seen great ratings news so far through the postseason, partly thanks to the increased broadcast exposure they have gotten from NBC. The network has averaged 4.9 million viewers through their first 13 games on NBC and Peacock, touting a 58% increase over comparable games last year.

With the first round of the NBA Playoffs coming to an end, the league and its broadcast partner could not have had a better draw for Saturday.

NBC will air Game 7 of the first round series between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers as the nightcap to an impressive schedule. New Derby contributor John Fanta is hyping it up, and for the soccer fans there’s even a crucial EPL game between Fulham and title contender Arsenal to get things started.

What more could the NBA on NBC ask for? A Game 7 between two major-market, Eastern Conference, traditional rivals and powerhouse brands? If the league could have picked any game for the post-Derby timeslot at the beginning of the first round, it would have been this one.