Raptors drew staggering TV ratings in Canada for Game 6 of NBA Finals

The Toronto Raptors set record after record with TV ratings during their playoff run, which culminated in some truly staggering ratings as they closed out the championship in Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night.

The game averaged 7.7 million viewers across all channels in Canada, making it the most-watched TV program in Canada in three years and the most-watched NBA game ever in Canada. 15.9 million Canadians were estimated to have tuned into some part of the game, which represents 44 percent of the country’s population and a record.

The ratings in Toronto and Hamilton were especially impressive. 82 percent of people watching TV in Toronto and Hamilton tuned into the Raptors, which is the highest non-Olympics audience in the market.

The Raptors just experienced their best season in franchise history. Their 58 regular season wins were their second-highest total ever. Unlike past years when they had to contend with LeBron James in the conference, James’ exodus to the Lakers in the Western Conference gave the Raptors a new hope. They took advantage of the opportunity by acquiring Kawhi Leonard and later Marc Gasol in a trade, really making a run for the title. It paid off, and now the popularity of the Raptors in Toronto and the country is at an all-time high.