Report: NBA Finals Earn $100M Per Game! Adam Silver Hopes for Long Series as First Game 7 in 9 Years

Underwhelming Ratings Amid Small-Market Matchup

• Average viewership is down from last season, though online streaming numbers remain high.

• "Everyone’s calculating ratings, but it’s two small markets—you can’t break records," Windhorst said. "Big-market teams like the Lakers, Celtics, and Warriors naturally draw more fans and advertisers."

Why Silver Prefers a Longer Series

• "The league is a numbers business. Former commissioner David Stern once joked the ideal Finals is Lakers vs. Lakers. But given the choice between Lakers-Celtics in a sweep or Thunder-Pacers in 6-7 games, Silver would pick the latter. Each Finals game—with ticket sales, global media rights, etc.—is worth around $100M in profit."

Potential Game 7 Could Break Records

• With the series tied 2-2, a minimum of six games is guaranteed, and a Game 7 is possible.

• The last Finals Game 7 was in 2016 (Cavaliers-Warriors), which drew 31 million viewers and $120M in revenue.

• "If this series goes the distance, the NBA stands to profit hugely," Windhorst noted. "Nine years since the last Game 7—fans and the league are hungry for that drama."