The Indiana Pacers have been the surprise story of the NBA this season, winning 48 games in the regular season before taking Game 1 on the road over the defending Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday afternoon.
The surprise success story has resonated with fans in central Indiana, as local television viewership for Pacers games on FOX Sports Indiana increased 18 percent this season.
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FOX Sports Indiana carried all 82 regular season Pacers and averaged a 3.5 household rating (35,000 households), according to Nielsen data. That rating marks an 18 percent improvement over the 2016-17 season and the highest rating for Pacers broadcasts on FOX Sports Indiana since the 2013-14 season, when the Blue & Gold finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference.
Additionally, the number of fans streaming Pacers games on FOX Sports Indiana increased dramatically, up 142 percent from last season.
Of the 27 teams whose ratings are tracked by FOX Sports Indiana, the Pacers' local-market ratings ranked fifth in the NBA (ratings for Toronto, Utah, and Memphis are not included).
FOX Sports Indiana will broadcast at least the next three Pacers playoff games, beginning with Game 2 in Cleveland on Wednesday night at 7:00 PM with the crew of Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), and Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter). Former Pacers guard Eddie Gill will join them for the pregame and postgame shows.