NFL dominates; NBA rebounds strong
The NFL stole the show on Christmas, even with the NBA putting up solid numbers. Let’s face it, Christmas used to be the NBA’s day. LeBron James himself joked, “I love the NFL, but Christmas is our day.” Not anymore.
Netflix’s first-ever Christmas partnership with the NFL crushed records. Over 65 million U.S. viewers tuned in for at least one minute, with the Baltimore Ravens’ 31-2 win over the Houston Texans drawing 24.3 million on average. The Kansas City Chiefs’ 29-10 victory over the Steelers? Just shy of that at 24.1 million. And Beyoncé’s halftime show? Peak Beyoncé—27 million people glued to their screens. Numbers don’t lie.
The NBA held its ground, though. Its five-game Christmas slate averaged 5.25 million viewers—a five-year high. The Lakers’ 115-113 nail-biter over the Warriors topped the charts at 7.76 million viewers, peaking at 8.32 million. The league also leaned into social media, pulling in 500 million video views on Christmas. That’s a record. Still, it’s hard to compete with Beyoncé and the NFL’s hype.
This isn’t just about games. It’s about where we’re watching them. The NFL’s move to Netflix shows how leagues are chasing eyeballs wherever they are. Cable? Feels old-school. Streaming is the now. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver even admitted it: “We’re almost at the inflection point where people are watching more programming on streaming than they are on traditional television.”
Next season, the NBA’s upping its game—more regular-season games on TV (15 to 75), all streaming-ready. It’s clear they’re gunning for eyeballs on every screen. Smart move, but it’s still playing catch-up to the NFL’s Netflix deal.
The NFL owns the holiday season now. The NBA isn’t flopping, but it’s got work to do if it wants Christmas back. Beyoncé trending worldwide and 27 million people tuning in for halftime? Yeah, that’s hard to beat.
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