NBA Finals Game 3 Sets 28-Year Viewership Record with 23.8 Million Audience

Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks attracted an average audience of 23.8 million viewers on ABC and ESPN platforms, peaking at 26.3 million. This marks the highest viewership for a Finals Game 3 since the 1998 Bulls‑Jazz matchup and makes the series the second‑most‑watched NBA Finals through three games, averaging 19.1 million viewers overall – a 159 % increase over the previous year.

The broadcast was the most‑watched television program of the day across all demographics, and it drew significant media attention, including the attendance of President Donald Trump, the first sitting U.S. president to attend an NBA Finals game. The strong ratings helped the NBA Finals dominate the week of June 1‑7, securing the top two spots in U.S. sports television viewership for the period.