TITLE: NBA’s 2025-26 Tipoff Draws Largest First-Month Audience Since 2010
SLUG: nba-opening-month-viewership-2025-26
CONTENT:
NEW YORK — National NBA telecasts on NBC/Peacock, Amazon Prime Video and ESPN attracted more than 60 million viewers during the first four weeks of the 2025-26 regular season, the league reported on Thursday. It is the strongest opening-month performance in 15 years, excluding the 2011-12 campaign that began on Christmas Day.
This surge marks an encouraging start to the NBA’s new 11-year, $76 billion media agreement with its three broadcast partners.
Digital and merchandise gains
League officials said NBA-related videos have generated over 30 billion views across league-run and third-party social platforms, a record for this stage of a season. Online sales at NBAStore.com have climbed more than 20%, a jump the league attributes to rising interest in “next-generation stars” such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, Victor Wembanyama, Tyrese Maxey, Cooper Flagg, Jalen Brunson and Luka Doncic.
NBA League Pass subscriptions are up 10%, and viewers are spending 8% more time watching games on the service compared with last year, according to the league.
Strong turnout in arenas
Attendance through the first month is tracking with last season, which finished as the second-best year on record with arenas filled to roughly 97% of capacity. Ten clubs — the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs and Utah Jazz — have sold out every home date so far. The Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets have each seen crowds grow nearly 10% year over year.
The NBA will continue to monitor these trends as the season progresses.
Source: ESPN.com
