• Loading stock data...
Saturday, August 2, 2025
Tuned In returns to NYC on September 16. Hear from the biggest names in sports media. Click here to get your spot

Luka Dončić’s Dallas Homecoming Could Deliver NBA Ratings High

Luka Dončić makes his highly anticipated return to Dallas on Wednesday for the first time since he was traded to the Lakers in February.

Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

There are only five days left in the NBA’s regular season, but perhaps its most anticipated game is set for Wednesday night.

Luka Dončić will return to Dallas for the first time since the Mavericks traded him to the Lakers on Feb. 1 in one of the most shocking trades in history. The game will air on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. ET and is expected to be one of the most-watched non-Christmas Day games of this season.

The two teams faced off Feb. 25, though the game was in Los Angeles and the Mavericks did not have Anthony Davis, the key piece they received in return for Dončić, who was out with a calf injury. Davis is listed as probable for Wednesday’s game.

That February showdown still drew 2.5 million viewers on TNT, the most-watched game of the season that aired exclusively on cable. Dončić’s debut with the Lakers against the Jazz on Feb. 10 drew 2.01 million viewers on ESPN, which is also one of the year’s most-watched games on cable.

NBA viewership numbers for the season are down 2% compared to last year, a vast improvement over the double-digit declines from the first two months of the year. But as fans continue to cut the cord, cable-exclusive games are driving the ratings decline.

Games on all ESPN platforms—including ABC—are averaging 1.72 million viewers, which is even with last year. But ESPN-exclusive games average 1.31 million, down 8%, according to Nielsen. TNT games were down 11% as of late February.

Dallas Acknowledges Dončić

Most Mavericks fans have been outraged with the franchise since the trade. Fans have held protests outside the American Airlines Center, and some have even been ejected from the arena for criticizing general manager Nico Harrison.

The Mavericks are acknowledging the 26-year-old’s contributions to Dallas—which includes making the NBA Finals last season—during his return. The Mavericks are giving away T-shirts to every fan that read, “Hvala za vse” (“Thanks for everything”) in Slovenian.

The team is also prepared to air a tribute video for Dončić, according to ESPN senior NBA insider Shams Charania. Protests outside the arena are expected to be significant.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Coco Gauff at New York Liberty

How the New York Liberty Became the Hottest Ticket in Town

Once banished to the burbs, the Libs are now Brooklyn’s marquee attraction.
Leo Messi
exclusive

MLS Commissioner Don Garber Defends Messi Suspension

Messi was punished for skipping the MLS All-Star Game.

Commanders Seal Stadium Deal As D.C. Approves $1.1B in Funding

The NFL team’s return to its prior home receives key political support.
Feb 20, 2011; Calgary, AB, Canada; Canadian hockey fans wave a flag and display a banner before the Heritage Classic between the Montreal Canadiens and the Calgary Flames at McMahon Stadium. The Flames beat the Canadiens 4-0

Where Does Hockey Go After the Hockey Canada Verdict?

After the sexual assault trial, hockey is split over the path forward.

Featured Today

Las Vegas sign

College Sports Embracing Vegas After Years of Cold Shoulder

The Big Ten became the latest newcomer to Sin City.
2000, Jupiter, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Montreal Expos pitcher Hideki Irabu in action on the mound against the New York Mets at Roger Dean Stadium during Spring Training
July 28, 2025

Dead Sports Franchises Are Alive and Well on Twitter

The Expos, Sonics, and Whalers have active social media accounts.
Limited Hype
July 27, 2025

Sneaker Reselling Was Once Easy Money. Success Is Now Complicated

Vendors need to evolve what they’re selling and how they do it.
HAPPY GILMORE 2. BTS - (L to R) Adam Sandler as Happy Gilmore and Rory McIlroy as himself on the set of Happy Gilmore2.
July 26, 2025

‘Cool As Hell’: How ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ Hooked Golf’s Top Stars

The process was “cool as hell,” Adam Sandler tells FOS.

Cubs Land 2027 MLB All-Star Game After Lengthy Pursuit

MLB will bring the Midsummer Classic to one of baseball’s cherished ballparks.
Michael Johnson
exclusive
July 31, 2025

Grand Slam Track Misses Deadline to Pay Athletes $3 Million

The league said it would pay athletes for their Kingston meet Thursday.
August 1, 2025

Ex-NBPA Chief on WNBA CBA Challenges, NBA Stake in League

Tamika Tremaglio was a consultant for the 2020 WNBA CBA.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
Jul 26, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa (4) walks to the dugout after the ninth inning against the Washington Nationals at Target Field.
July 31, 2025

MLB’s Biggest Buyers in Frantic Deadline Weren’t Top Markets

Teams besides the Dodgers, Mets, and Yankees dominate MLB’s trade deadline.
Happy Gilmore 2
July 31, 2025

Is ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ Really About LIV vs. PGA Tour?

The movie’s main plotline may sound familiar to many golf fans.
Bristol Motor Speedway
July 31, 2025

MLB’s Long Road to Its Most Unusual Game Yet

The special-event game features a unique blending of baseball and racing.
July 31, 2025

NFL Preseason Getting Earliest Kickoff in 25 Years

The Lions and Chargers face off in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game.