Lakers-Celtics Game 7 on TSN is Highest-Rated NBA Game Ever in Canada with
1.1 Million Viewers

- NBA FINALS Game 7 was most-watched sports event yesterday in Canada as Los Angeles Lakers win 16th NBA championship -

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TORONTO, June 18 /CNW/ - Last night's dramatic Game 7 victory by the Los Angeles Lakers over the Boston Celtics was watched by an average audience of 1.1 million viewers on TSN, making it the largest Canadian audience ever recorded for an NBA game according to preliminary overnight data from BBM Canada*.

NBA FINALS Game 7 was also the most-watched sports broadcast yesterday in Canada.

Audience levels peaked with 1.73 million viewers in the final minutes of the game as the Lakers held on to win the series on home court.

"There is no better way to end a season than with a seven-game series featuring two storied franchises and some of the NBA's biggest stars," said Phil King, President, TSN. "It should be an interesting off-season and we can't wait to bring all of the excitement of the NBA to basketball fans again next year."

The Los Angeles-Boston series ranks as the most-watched NBA FINALS ever on TSN with an average audience of 576,000 viewers over the seven games.

"We are excited by the interest in the NBA FINALS this year," said Dan MacKenzie, General Manager, NBA Canada. "This is just further evidence of the growth in popularity of basketball and its broadening appeal among Canadian sports fans."

TSN and TSN2 will continue to deliver extensive NBA action next season with more than 70 regular season games, including 47 Toronto Raptors games, the NBA All-Star Weekend, NBA playoffs and complete coverage of the NBA FINALS.

TSN is Canada's Sports Leader and Canada's most-watched specialty network. Delivering more sports coverage in High Definition than any other network in Canada, TSN's comprehensive broadcast schedule features an exciting lineup of sports including NHL, IIHF, CFL, NFL, NBA, MLB, Season of Champions Curling, Golf's Majors, F1, NASCAR Sprint Cup, Grand Slam Tennis and Championship Boxing events. TSN properties include TSN2, TSN MOBILE and the industry leading sports website TSN.ca. Official broadcaster of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and London 2012 Games of the Olympiad, TSN is a division of CTVglobemedia.

*Audiences prior to August 31, 2009 based on BBM Nielsen Media Research Mark II meters.

For further information: Chobi Liang, TSN, (w) 416.384.7584, (c) 416.859.4738, [email protected]; Carolyn Abbass, Paradigm PR for NBA Canada, (w) 416.203.2223, [email protected]; Jonathan Chang, NBA Canada, (w) 416.364.4529, [email protected]