Published 18:11 IST, May 22nd 2020
The Last Dance records 23.8 million viewers outside the US on Netflix: Report
Michael Jordan's 10-part docu-series The Last Dance managed to generate upwards of 23.8 million viewers outside the US on popular OTT platform, Netflix.
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Michael Jordan’s 10-part documentary The Last Dance came to an end last weekend. The series ended with Chicago Bulls winning their sixth NBA title with Michael Jordan and co beating the Utah Jazz in the 1998 NBA Finals for the second time in a row. The final two episodes brought to end a thrilling five-week journey which saw sports fans from all over the world tune in every Sunday night (Monday for those who live outside the USA) to watch Michael Jordan talk about his rise to stardom, right from his college career with North Carolina to winning six NBA championships with Chicago Bulls. The ESPN documentary racked up record viewership weekend after weekend as people from all across the globe tuned in to watch fresh episodes of the series. In fact, Netflix revealed that The Last Dance ratings crossed the 23 million-mark after the final two episodes aired last weekend.
Also Read | ESPN The Last Dance ratings jump to 5.6 million viewers on average as Jordan's series winds up
ESPN The Last Dance: Toni Kukoc talks about Chicago Bulls training sessions
Toni Kukoc on the intensity of @chicagobulls practice... The Last Dance continues Sunday at 9:00 PM ET on ESPN in the U.S. and Netflix internationally. pic.twitter.com/9EcDaoNjhz
— NBA (@NBA) May 16, 2020
ESPN The Last Dance ratings
Netflix viewership numbers
‘The Last Dance’ on Netflix has reportedly been watched by 23.8 million international households in its first month. This would make it ESPN’s most successful documentary on the platform. pic.twitter.com/Om2kBjV55Z
— N (@netflixtopten) May 21, 2020
While the NBA is one of the most-watched sports leagues in the USA, The Last Dance ratings showed that Michael Jordan's popularity goes beyond the borders of the United States. People from the UK, South America, Europe and Asia were glued to their TV screens waiting for fresh new episodes over the last month or so, The Last Dance ratings reveal. The last two episodes of the 10-part Michael Jordan documentary averaged 5.9 million viewers as per a report by Nielsen.
Live viewership for each episode ranged between 4.9 and 6.3 million people. Netflix viewership numbers showed that The Last Dance ratings clocked in at 23.8 million viewers from all over the world. The Last Dance ratings confirmed that the recently concluded Michael Jordan documentary will go down as the most-watched ESPN documentary of all time.
Also Read | James Harden claims to be studying ESPN The Last Dance while gearing up for possible NBA return
Is Michael Jordan documentary biased? The Last Dance ratings
“He only had really one job. And that was to just score. And he did that at an amazing, amazing rate. But I don’t feel like his way of winning then would translate to what it is now. Guys wouldn’t want to play with him.”
— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) May 15, 2020
-Channing Frye on Michael Jordan
(NBC Sports North West) pic.twitter.com/ouPbLEbuMr
Despite all the positive reviews the docu-series has garnered from the likes of LeBron James, Magic Johnson and other NBA stars, there are some people who feel that the documentary is somewhat biased. The likes of Horace Grant, Craig Hodges and Isiah Thomas have accused the makers of the series of depicting a biased version of Jordan's journey in the NBA. Reports also claim that Chicago Bulls great and Jordan's teammate Scottie Pippen is unhappy with his 'frustrated and sad' depiction in the 10-part series. Is the Michael Jordan documentary biased? The likes of Horace Grant seem to think so as Grant blasted Jordan after the documentary aired and called him a 'snitch'.
Also Read | Magic Johnson stands by Michael Jordan as the GOAT over LeBron James after ESPN The Last Dance
18:11 IST, May 22nd 2020