• Loading stock data...
Friday, October 31, 2025
Want a chance to win $250 and free FOS gear? Take our quick reader survey. Take the survey here

Dončić’s Dallas Return Delivers Top ESPN Game of the Season

Luka Dončić’s first game back in Dallas since being traded to the Lakers in February drew 2.26 million viewers on ESPN, falling short of the teams’ February matchup on TNT.

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

In a season marred by criticisms of declining ratings, the NBA is finishing strong on the back of the aftermath of the Luka Dončić trade.

Dončić’s first game back in Dallas drew 2.26 million viewers Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET, the most-watched non-Christmas Day game of the season on ESPN, the network announced Thursday. While it was one of the most-watched games of the season on cable, it did not rate as high as the Feb. 25 game between the same two teams which drew 2.5 million viewers on TNT. That game was played in Los Angeles just three weeks after the 26-year-old star was traded by the Mavericks to the Lakers

The NBA’s full-season viewership is down 2% compared to last year, a stark improvement from the double-digit declines the league was facing earlier in the year. ESPN platforms were even compared to last year, though driven by ABC viewership. As consumers continue to cut the cord on cable, viewership has dipped on games broadcast on ESPN and TNT

“I’m happy with where they’re trending now,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said last month at a press conference. He cited the World Series and U.S. presidential election as reasons for the early-season decline. “In this environment, particularly when you’re largely featured in legacy media and particularly cable—and no question cable subscriptions are going down—that seems like a victory.”

Down in Dallas

While the Dončić trade has certainly created positive business for the NBA, the same can’t be said for the Mavericks. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported Wednesday that the team’s decision to trade the Slovenian will cost the franchise “nine figures over the next several years.” The losses will come from declining ticket and merchandise sales, as well as the loss of corporate sponsors.

MacMahon also reported the Mavericks had some sponsorship deals prepared with brands Dončić endorses that did not push through after the star’s camp pointed out he no longer plays for Dallas. 

The team also issued refunds to season-ticket holders as many canceled their plans after the trade. Fans at the American Airlines Center expressed their anger toward general manager Nico Harrison on Wednesday by chanting “Fire Nico!” throughout the game.

Despite the backlash, the Mavericks still paid tribute to Dončić by giving each fan a T-shirt that read “Hvala za vse” (“Thanks for everything” in Slovenian). They also played a three-minute tribute video for their former star during starting lineup intros that brought Dončić to tears.

Dončić returned the favor by dropping 45 points, his highest point total since joining the Lakers, in a 112–97 Los Angeles win.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Sep 30, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Aces center Kiah Stokes (41), Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young (0), Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray (12), Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson (22), and Las Vegas Aces guard Jewell Loyd (24) take the court after an Indiana Fever time out in the fourth quarter of game five of the second round for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at Michelob Ultra Arena.

WNBA and WNBPA Agree to 30-Day Extension. Now What?

The league has never lost games to a work stoppage.
Dec 17, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) celebrates with the trophy and teammates after winning the Emirates NBA Cup championship game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at T-Mobile Arena.

NBA Cup Returns for Year 3 With Increased $530,000 Prize

Players on the championship team will receive more than $530,000.

Frozen Frenzy Ratings Climb 20% Despite Scheduling Complaints

The hockey event posts a 20% viewership bump, despite World Series competition.

YouTube TV Loses ESPN, ABC Just Before Big Sports Weekend

More than 20 channels go dark on the No. 4 U.S. pay-TV distributor.

Featured Today

Oct 13, 2024; Chicago, IL, USA; Susanna Sullivan of the United States of America finishes seventh in the Chicago Marathon at Grant Park

More Races, More Money: The New Calculus for Pro Marathoners

More races per year mean more money—but the math isn’t simple.
Oct 28, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) pitches during the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game four of the 2025 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium.
October 31, 2025

Shohei Ohtani Card Market Is Surging—With No Signs of Slowing

Cards have spiked hundreds of thousands of dollars from their initial value.
September 21, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell before the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium
October 26, 2025

NFL Fall Meeting: 7 Big Topics Among Team Owners 

Media, facilities, and labor highlight some of the key areas of concern.
Ohio State Buckeyes running back Isaiah West (32) runs the ball in the second half at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin
October 25, 2025

NIL Has Birthed a Third-Party Cottage Industry—and It’s a Mess

There’s no limit to how much players can make from NIL deals.
Rich Paul
exclusive

Rich Paul, Max Kellerman in Talks for Show With The Ringer

“The Ringer” sold to Spotify in 2020.
Dec 10, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) talks with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) after a game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
October 30, 2025

CBS Bets Big on Chiefs-Bills Rivalry As AFC Landscape Changes

Big viewership likely awaits the revival of the NFL rivalry.
Oct 28, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) throws his bat after hitting a two run home run as Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) looks on during the third inning of game four of the 2025 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium.
October 30, 2025

World Series Game 5: Largest Blue Jays Audience Ever on Canadian TV

Canadian viewership continues to be a major storyline of the World Series.
Sponsored

How HOKA is Reimagining the NIL Relationship

On Location is redefining the Olympic experience by creating lasting connections beyond the Games.
October 30, 2025

NBC Sports Parent Says No Rush to Make WBD Deal: ‘Bar Is..

The company says it doesn’t need to merge with another media entity.
October 30, 2025

SEC-Led College Football TV Ratings Are Still Up 4% Through Week 9

The average game audience this season is 1.95 million viewers.
October 30, 2025

ESPN Says No Issues With Its Handling of NBA Gambling Scandal

Viewership for every ESPN studio show was “up significantly.”
October 30, 2025

NBA Season Opens With Best Ratings in 8 Years Despite Off-Court Scandals

It’s the first year of the NBA’s 11-year, $77 billion media deal.