ESPN's NBA coverage averaged 2.6 million viewers in its first 21 games through Christmas, a 35% increase from last season and the second-most-watched start since ESPN began carrying NBA games in 2002. The numbers trail only the 2010-11 season.
Christmas Day performance showed 47 million U.S. viewers watching at least some portion of the five-game slate—a 45% increase over 2024—with games averaging 5.5 million viewers, up 4% year-over-year.
"Inside the NBA" averaged 1.2 million viewers in its first season on ESPN, up 135% from last year's regular-season average on TNT. The Christmas Day edition averaged 5.1 million, the show's most-watched regular season audience.
"NBA Today" averaged 361,000 viewers, a 26% increase from this time last year.
Viewership rose 47% among women and 37% among Hispanic audiences. This is the first year of the NBA's 11-year media rights deal with ESPN, NBC, and Prime Video.
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