Controversial sports analyst Skip Bayless predicts an NBA victory over the NFL on Christmas Day games
NFL Outperforms NBA on Christmas Day, but NBA Makes Strides with Innovative Streaming Approach
The National Football League (NFL) has consistently outperformed the National Basketball Association (NBA) in terms of Christmas Day viewership, but the NBA is making strides by adapting to the changing landscape of sports streaming.
Last year, the NFL's Chiefs/Ravens and Ravens/Titans matchups on Netflix averaged over 24 million viewers each, while the game between the Lakers and Warriors on ESPN/ABC drew 7.76 million viewers. This year, the NFL will continue its tradition of playing games on Christmas, with the Cowboys-Commanders, Lions-Vikings, and Broncos-Chiefs games scheduled.
The NFL has been able to attract more viewers on Christmas in part due to streaming games on Netflix. The league has been distributing Christmas games across major streaming platforms, while the NBA simultaneously airs all Christmas games on ABC/ESPN and streams them on ESPN+, ESPN2, and Disney+.
The NBA's Christmas slate consists of five games broadcast on ABC and ESPN simultaneously, with ESPN+ and Disney+ providing streaming access. Last year, the NBA garnered 5.25 million viewers, an 84% increase from 2023. The NBA remains primarily reliant on broadcast television, while the NFL has adapted to streaming services.
The NBA is innovating in its broadcast and streaming approaches to narrow the gap and appeal to younger viewers. The league relies heavily on star power, with players like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant remaining focal draws for Christmas broadcasts. The NBA also tries to spotlight young prospects like Cooper Flagg to build future audiences.
Viewing habits are shifting, with Gen Z favoring highlights and clips on streaming platforms over traditional linear broadcasts. This trend likely benefits the NFL's multi-platform stream strategy. The league has been investing in streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, paying high rights fees to secure these deals.
In summary, while the NFL commands stronger overall Christmas Day ratings and has a growing streaming footprint that drives those numbers, the NBA is innovating in its broadcast and streaming approaches to narrow the gap and appeal to younger viewers. Their respective Christmas Day ratings battle reflects these strategic differences in star power utilization, broadcast platforms, and adapting to evolving viewer preferences for sports streaming.
References:
- ESPN
- CNN Business
- Variety
The NBA's innovative streaming approach, encompassing ESPN+, ESPN2, and Disney+, is a significant effort to bridge the viewership gap with the NFL on Christmas Day.
Despite the NFL's success in streaming games on Netflix and other platforms, the NBA is focusing on leveraging star power and spotlighting young prospects to attract Generation Z viewers on streaming platforms, narrowing the viewership gap between the two leagues.
