The NBA tipped off its 2025–26 season with a ratings slam dunk. According to Nielsen and Adobe Analytics, the league’s Opening Week games averaged 2.8 million viewers across NBC Sports, ESPN, and Amazon Prime Video. That’s a staggering 60% increase from last year and the highest Opening Week average since 2017.
The surge in viewership comes as the NBA debuts its new media rights deal, which includes expanded coverage across traditional broadcast and streaming platforms. The return to NBC, in particular, has reignited nostalgia among longtime fans and introduced a fresh presentation style for younger audiences.
The NBA’s Opening Week viewership hasn’t reached these levels since 2017, when traditional cable still dominated sports broadcasting. The 2020 Opening Week was skewed by its overlap with Christmas due to COVID-related scheduling, making this year’s numbers a more accurate reflection of fan engagement.
In total, the NBA reported that nearly 37 million viewers tuned in across all platforms during Opening Week; a 100% year-over-year increase and the most for any October start in 15 years.
NBA executives have expressed optimism about the new media landscape.
“We’re seeing the benefits of broader distribution and storytelling,” said one league spokesperson. “Fans are engaging across platforms, and the numbers reflect that.”
NBC’s use of legacy voices like Bob Costas and modern production elements has also been praised for blending tradition with innovation.
With the In-Season Tournament and Christmas Day games on the horizon, the NBA is poised to build on its early momentum. If Opening Week is any indication, the league’s new broadcast era is off to a historic start.
