NBA viewing figures soar as new TV deals deliver major success

The NBA has declared its new television deals a resounding success after reporting record viewership figures for the past season. The league announced on Wednesday that 170 million people in the United States tuned into NBA games across its four primary broadcast platforms – ABC/ESPN, Amazon Prime Video, NBC/Peacock, and NBA TV. These figures mark the league's highest viewership in 24 years, representing an 86 per cent increase on last season.

This season marked the debut of Prime Video as part of the league's television rights package, while NBC/Peacock returned for the first time in a generation. These platforms are part of a new 11-year media rights deal, valued at over $76 billion, signed in 2024, which commenced at the start of the current season. NBA viewing figures have risen to a 24-year high (Reuters) Further highlights from the viewership data include the highest average viewership in 13 years, a 35 per cent rise from last season.

Fifty-seven telecasts this season attracted an average of two million viewers, the most since the 2011-12 season. Furthermore, fans collectively watched NBA games for more than 920 million hours, a 25 per cent increase on last season and the highest total since 2011-12. The NBA's social media platforms also saw record engagement, generating 228 billion views this season, according to Videocites, an increase of 13 per cent.

Arena attendance over the last three seasons has surpassed any comparable period in the league's history. Viewership for NBA Cup group stage matches surged by 90 per cent, and the All-Star Game, broadcast on NBC, drew an audience of 8. 8 million, making it the most-watched mid-season showcase since 2011.