ESPN’s NBA Audience Hits 2.6 Million Average, Best Start Since 2010-11
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ESPN’s first 21 NBA telecasts of the 2025-26 regular season averaged 2.6 million viewers, marking the network’s strongest opening stretch since the 2010-11 campaign, according to Nielsen data released by ESPN on Thursday.
The early-season average is 35% higher than a year ago and ranks as the second-best figure for a full season since ESPN began carrying NBA games in 2002.
Holiday programming also delivered sizable gains. The league reported that more than 47 million viewers in the United States watched at least part of the five-game Christmas lineup on ABC and ESPN—an increase of 45% from last year. The Christmas schedule drew an average audience of 5.5 million, up 4% year over year.
Growth has been especially strong among key demographics, with viewership up 47% among women and 37% among Hispanic audiences.
This season is the first under the NBA’s new 11-year media rights agreement with ESPN, NBC and Prime Video.
Studio shows post significant jumps
“Inside the NBA,” airing its inaugural season on ESPN, is averaging 1.2 million viewers—135% higher than last season’s regular-season numbers on TNT. The show’s Christmas Day edition drew 5.1 million viewers, its largest regular-season audience on record.
Weekday program “NBA Today” is averaging 361,000 viewers, a 26% gain from the same point last season.
Source: ESPN
