The NBA used to own Christmas Day. It no longer owns Christmas Day. In fact, it barely even rents it anymore.
Two years ago, the NFL decided to stop letting the NBA run unopposed and began scheduling multiple games on Christmas. Since then, the NFL has shown why the NBA never was and never will be a threat to their title as America’s sport of choice.
On Christmas Day, 31 million people watched the Raiders beat the Chiefs. For one of the three NFL games featured that day, that audience earned more viewers than four of the five NBA games that took place on Christmas Day combined.
A fan is seen dressed as Santa Claus during a game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on December 25, 2023, in Kansas City, Missouri. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
According to SportsMedia Watch, the Celtics-Lakers drew 5 million total viewers. The Milwaukee Bucks vs. New York Knicks drew 2.49 million. The Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns had 1.37 million, and the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat pulled 1.3 million. As of the time of this writing, the numbers for the Warriors and Nuggets were not available.
However, it’s highly unlikely that the game earned the more than 20 million viewers it would have had to earn for the combined NBA package to attract the same number of viewers that the Chiefs and Raiders alone earned.
Lamar Jackson, #8 of the Baltimore Ravens, rushes during the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on December 25, 2023, in Santa Clara, California. The Ravens defeated the 49ers 33-19. (Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)
As for the other two NFL games on Christmas Day? The NBA didn’t come close to those either. The New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles earned 29 million, and the Ravens-49ers drew 29 million.
Christmas falls on a Wednesday next year, and due to the scheduling difficulties, the NFL has said there will be no Christmas Day games. So, the NBA can feel good about that.