The National Basketball Association is one of the most significant sports leagues in the United States. Given the popularity of the NBA in the United States and around the world, why has there been so much recent discussion about television viewing figures?
NBA Viewing Statistics
It is challenging to obtain viewing figures for all NBA games over the past 20 years, but we can use averages to paint a picture. Between 2015 and 2019, there was steady growth, and the television numbers were substantial. This was a period when Steph Curry and LeBron James had a major rivalry, and there is no doubt it drew fans to watch games. If we take the average NBA Finals viewership per game over that period, games averaged between 15 and 20 million viewers. Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals drew 31 million viewers. Looking at the ABC figures for the 2015/16 NBA regular season, the average viewership per game was just over 3.9 million. If we fast-forward to the 2024/25 NBA season, the average was 1.5 million viewers per game across all channels. Even though there is close to a decade between the two sets of figures, it is a significant fall in NBA viewership.
The viewing figures do not take into account live streaming at online bookmakers around the world. Some gambling sites offer live NBA streaming for account holders in addition to bonuses, and you can click here to find out more.
Recent Signs are Positive
Despite the doom and gloom surrounding the recent decline in NBA viewership, there are reasons to be positive. The regular season of the 2025/26 NBA season started on the 21st of October, and the viewing figures were the highest they have been for 15 years. The doubleheader on opening night averaged 5.6 million viewers, including the second game, which went past the midnight hour ET. The NBA viewership for opening night was tracked across two platforms, NBC and Peacock. You must go back to the 2010 tip-off to find a higher audience rating than the start of the 2025/26 NBA season. Last season, the double season opener averaged 2.95 million viewers on TNT, so the increase is significant. Perhaps the return of the NBA on NBC played a role, and it is part of a new NBA rights deal that includes Peacock, ESPN, ABC, and Amazon Prime Video. The 11-year rights package is worth $76 billion, so there is a lot of money riding on the NBA’s future viewership success.
What Next for NBA Viewership?
The NBA is making moves in Europe, with over 130 international players this season —a record. That could drive up the number of people watching the NBA in Europe. There will be three international NBA games this season, with Berlin and London hosting. The NBA is also investing in basketball in the UK, with talk of an NBA Europe league. This could drive viewing figures higher, but there is also the recent illegal gambling issue to deal with, which could see people turn off. It’s an interesting time in the history of the NBA, and it will be fascinating to see how the competition and viewing figures develop over the next five years.