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NBA Touts 87 Million Season Reach as Ratings Rise Under New TV and Measurement Setup

Broader distribution paired with Nielsen’s updated measurement complicates year-over-year comparisons of the gains.

Dec 5, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; NBA Prime announcer Ian Eagle, center, and analyst Stan Van Gundy, left, are seen during the second half of the game between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
NBA viewership for national TV games up 89% from last year

Overview

  • The league says 87 million people have watched at least one minute of games across NBC/Peacock, ESPN/ABC, Prime Video and NBA TV, up 89% year over year and the highest in 15 years.
  • Independent tracking shows national games are averaging 1.81 million viewers across NBCUniversal, ESPN and Prime Video through the NBA Cup Final, a 27% increase and the best pace since 2017.
  • Nielsen’s switch to a Big Data + Panel methodology and an expanded out-of-home sample, combined with added broadcast and streaming windows, are key factors affecting audience tallies and comparisons.
  • Prime Video’s Knicks–Spurs NBA Cup Final drew 3.07 million viewers, narrowly topping last year’s ABC final at 2.99 million, with analysts cautioning that methodology differences cloud a direct matchup.
  • OutKick criticized the league’s emphasis on season reach without full average-minute disclosures, arguing the presentation could mislead, even as industry reports still show meaningful average-audience gains.