Even with competition from the NFL’s Christmas tripleheader, the NBA saw it’s five-game Christmas schedule make a ratings uptick.
All five games were simulcast on ESPN and ABC, and the slate averaged nearly 4.3 million viewers for the day. That number is up 5% from the 2021 Christmas schedule, but is down slightly compared to the 2020 schedule. However, the 2020 Christmas games were during the opening week of the season after the previous season’s schedule was extended by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent Orlando bubble.
The 5:00 PM ET game — featuring the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks — was the highest-rated game of the day. It averaged just over 6 million viewers, up 16% from last year’s contest in the same window.
The early afternoon game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks averaged 4.333 million viewers, while the primetime matchup featuring the Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies saw 4.7 million viewers.
The day’s first game — the Philadelphia 76ers victory over the New York Knicks — averaged 4.036 million viewers. That number is an increase of 38% compared to 2021.
