NBA Christmas Day Sets 15-Year Viewership Record Across ESPN and ABC

02/01/202615:03

Beyond television, the NBA also saw strong engagement across digital platforms, generating 1.6 billion social media views, an increase of 23% from last year, underscoring the league’s growing global reach

The NBA enjoyed a massive television success on Christmas Day, with more than 47 million viewers tuning in to at least part of the league’s five holiday matchups across ESPN and ABC, marking the highest Christmas Day audience in the past 15 years, per ESPN.

The figure represents a 45% increase compared to last year, highlighting a significant rebound in holiday viewership. On average, the five games drew 5.5 million viewers, a 4% year-over-year rise.

The most-watched contest of the day was the showdown between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks, which averaged 6.4 million viewers.

Beyond television, the NBA also saw strong engagement across digital platforms, generating 1.6 billion social media views, an increase of 23% from last year, underscoring the league’s growing global reach.