Stronger NFL competition and fewer ABC games combined to sack NBA Christmas viewership for a loss.
Sports Media Watch reports viewership declined for at least four of the five NBA Christmas Day windows. The featured Celtics-Lakers game was the most-watched of the day with an average of 5.0 million across ABC (3.31M) and ESPN (1.69M), down 18% from Bucks-Celtics in the same window last year (6.08M).
Shifting to the ESPN portion of the schedule, Bucks-Knicks led the way with 2.49 million across ESPN and ESPN2 — down 39% from Sixers-Knicks on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 last year (4.07M). The late night Mavericks-Suns game averaged 1.47 million on ESPN, down 42% from Suns-Nuggets last year on ABC and ESPN (1.2, 2.52M). Bringing up the rear, Sixers-Heat averaged just 1.30 million on ESPN and ESPN2, down a whopping 73% from Grizzlies-Warriors on ABC and ESPN a year ago (4.75M).
This year’s Christmas slate was always going to be difficult for the NBA. This was the second-straight year that the NFL scheduled three games on the holiday, but unlike last year — when the schedule included two duds, Broncos-Rams and Buccaneers-Cardinals — all three games were strong on paper. The two afternoon games featured last year’s Super Bowl finalists facing historic rivals, while the primetime game pit the two best teams in the league.
Moreover, because Christmas fell on a Monday, the NFL scheduled its primetime game for ABC — leaving the NBA unable to simulcast all five games on the broadcast network as was the case last year. All three NFL games averaged north of 27 million, while last year’s schedule topped out at 25 million.
Despite the sharp declines, Christmas Day once again produced the largest audience of the NBA season. Celtics-Lakers topped the previous high set by the Pacers-Lakers NBA In-Season Tournament Final earlier this month (4.58M). Even Bucks-Knicks ranks seventh for the season among NBA games (pending results for Warriors-Nuggets).
Shifting to the ESPN portion of the schedule, Bucks-Knicks led the way with 2.49 million across ESPN and ESPN2 — down 39% from Sixers-Knicks on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 last year (4.07M). The late night Mavericks-Suns game averaged 1.47 million on ESPN, down 42% from Suns-Nuggets last year on ABC and ESPN (1.2, 2.52M). Bringing up the rear, Sixers-Heat averaged just 1.30 million on ESPN and ESPN2, down a whopping 73% from Grizzlies-Warriors on ABC and ESPN a year ago (4.75M).
Moreover, because Christmas fell on a Monday, the NFL scheduled its primetime game for ABC — leaving the NBA unable to simulcast all five games on the broadcast network as was the case last year. All three NFL games averaged north of 27 million, while last year’s schedule topped out at 25 million.
Despite the sharp declines, Christmas Day once again produced the largest audience of the NBA season. Celtics-Lakers topped the previous high set by the Pacers-Lakers NBA In-Season Tournament Final earlier this month (4.58M). Even Bucks-Knicks ranks seventh for the season among NBA games (pending results for Warriors-Nuggets).
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