• Loading stock data...
Saturday, October 25, 2025
Want a chance to win $250 and free FOS gear? Take our quick reader survey. Take the survey here

NBA TV Ratings Are Down 5%. NBC May Reverse That Trend Next Year

The NBA’s national TV viewership is down 5% year over year entering the second half of the season. But ratings on ESPN platforms are flat compared to last year.

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The NBA’s TV ratings have been a central topic of conversation all season long as the league has faced declining viewership numbers.

But after a slow first few months of the 2024–2025 season with double-digit percentage declines, the league has partially recovered. Entering the second half of the season, the NBA is averaging 1.76 million viewers across ESPN and TNT platforms, a 5% year-over-year decline, according to Nielsen.

Declining TV viewership is not exclusive to the NBA. The NHL is down 11% this year—despite a widely successful 4 Nations Face-Off—and even the NFL was hit with a 2% dip this year. The wide trend can be attributed to the decline in overall cable subscribers, which is down 8% year over year, according to Nielsen.

For all the hand-wringing about the NBA, its social media numbers continue to surge. The league’s content across social media has generated 83.5 billion views this year, up 41% from last year, per Videocites.

However, that doesn’t change the fact that the league needs to curb its ratings decline. An easy solution may just come next season when the league’s 11-year, $7.7 billion media-rights deal kicks in. Warner Bros. Discovery will lose broadcasting rights to the NBA, as NBC and Amazon Prime Video join ESPN.

NBA games on ESPN platforms are essentially flat compared to last year, but the 5% overall viewership decline can be attributed to the 11% dip in games on TNT platforms. The big driver for ESPN ratings this year was the Christmas Day slate that was up 87% versus last year but benefited from all five games airing on ABC.

TNT’s cable channels simply do not have the distribution of NBC’s free TV audience. The addition of Peacock, plus the added buzz of a new network, may also help. 

However, the opposite can also be argued with games moving to Prime Video, which will likely see a dip in viewership behind Amazon’s paywall similar to what happened when the NFL moved Thursday Night Football to Amazon.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Adam Silver

Congress Wants to Hear from Adam Silver on Gambling Scandal This Week

Silver said he was “deeply disturbed” by the arrests.
Terry Rozier

Terry Rozier Will Be Paid Full NBA Salary While on Leave

The Heat are scheduled to pay Rozier $26.6 million for this season. 
Terry Rozier

NBA Strongly Denies Quietly Suspending Terry Rozier in 2023

Brian Windhorst appeared to walk back his comments Friday morning.

Featured Today

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

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.
Christie's
October 21, 2025

Lou Gehrig’s $4M Jersey and the Exploding Sports Memorabilia Market

An ultra-rare sports collection is about to hit the auction block.
@chef__tezz/Instagram
October 19, 2025

Inside the NFL’s Private Chef Network

Private chefs are the unsung architects of player performance.
October 18, 2025

How Vanderbilt Went From SEC Doormat to Dark Horse CFP Candidate

After beating LSU, Clark Lea said: “Internally, we expect to win.”
YouTube/ Multiple streaming services appear on a Roku TV.

YouTube in Another Carriage Dispute, This Time With Disney

ESPN and ABC could be dropped from the No. 4 U.S. pay-TV distributor.
May 17, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Jasson Dominguez (24) shakes hands with New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) after the top of the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium.
October 23, 2025

Mets, Yankees, and the Nielsen Debate That Won’t Go Away

Weeks after the end of the MLB regular season, viewership issues remain.
Oct 21, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) keeps the ball away from Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) during the second half at Paycom Center
October 23, 2025

NBA’s NBC Return Draws 5.9M Viewers, Best Opener Since 2010

Thunder vs. Rockets peaked at 7.1 million viewers.
Sponsored

How HOKA is Reimagining the NIL Relationship

Fans can now follow their favorite golfers and experience every marquee moment at the Ryder Cup — thanks to innovation from T-Mobile.
Brian Windhorst
October 23, 2025

Brian Windhorst Details Emergency Landing on Omaha–L.A. Flight

The pilots and flight attendants had a communication issue.
October 22, 2025

YouTube Stars Help Bring Back Golf Channel’s ‘Big Break’

The show will return in 2026 after an 11-year hiatus.
Candace Parker
October 22, 2025

Candace Parker Wants NFL-Style Coverage From NBA Media

Amazon will stream its first NBA doubleheader Friday.
Netflix
October 21, 2025

Netflix Staying on the Sidelines As TNT Sports Parent Seeks Buyer

The streaming giant shows little interest in acquisition possibilities.