The NBA has suffered a large, four percent drop in TV ratings in three of its biggest television markets, according to a report.
Viewership in New York, Chicago, and Cleveland, all saw declines according to Sports Business Daily.
Ratings show that the New York Knicks lost 38 percent of its audience, the Chicago Bulls lost 24 percent, and fans in Cleveland, Ohio, abandoned the Cavaliers with a whopping 58 percent drop.
On the other hand, the Los Angeles Lakers posted a 31-percent increase, the team’s highest audience numbers since 2013.
The site reviewed ratings data for 28 teams and found 15 showing some ratings gains, 12 posting big decreases, and one remaining unchanged from last year.
The Golden State Warriors had the league’s best local TV ratings in the NBC Sports Bay Area, but this year’s numbers were still down 11 percent over last season.
But, overall, Sports Business Daily found a decline in viewers for the NBA. Including ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV, the NBA saw 1.2 million average viewers, down five percent from last season.
The playoffs also saw a dip in viewers, off 18 percent, SBD noted.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.