The NBA is experiencing a significant boost in viewership, with a 18% increase in the first year of its new media-rights deals. This growth is attributed to the addition of games on broadcast TV and fewer on cable, along with a strong Christmas performance. Games across ABC/ESPN, NBC, and Prime Video have averaged 2.02 million viewers, surpassing the combined average of ABC/ESPN and TNT/truTV at the start of 2025. However, this success has a controversial side. While 17 out of 29 teams in the U.S. are seeing season-over-season gains, many of these teams are currently in business with Main Street Sports Group, which has missed RSN payments to several franchises. This raises questions about the sustainability of the current media deal and the financial health of the teams involved. NBC's strong start with its package on October 21 and Coast 2 Coast Tuesday debut on October 28 have set records, but the company has not disclosed Peacock-specific numbers for Monday night games, which are likely lower than linear TV had previously. ESPN and ABC are up 30% season-to-date, with fewer games on cable TV under the new deal. Prime Video's debut NBA season is averaging 1.2 million viewers per game, with a younger audience than linear TV. The NBA has also seen a total audience of 115 million people in the U.S. watch national games this season, the best figure for that metric at this point in the season on record. The number of viewers across NBC/Peacock, ESPN/ABC, Prime Video, and NBA TV is up 85% vs. the same point last year. The NBA has also generated 75 billion video views across social media platforms, up 32% from the same point last season, according to Videocites data. But here's where it gets controversial... The NBA's success in increasing viewership and generating social media views raises questions about the effectiveness of the new media deal and the role of streaming services in the future of sports broadcasting. What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with the NBA's strategy? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
