The NBA’s strong viewership numbers in 2025-26 are continuing as the year comes to an end.
More than 87 million people in the U.S. have watched NBA games this season across NBC/Peacock, ESPN, Amazon Prime Video and NBA TV, the most viewers in 15 years and up 89% vs. last year, the league announced Monday.
More than 87 million people in the U.S. have watched NBA games this season across NBC/Peacock, ESPN, Amazon Prime Video and NBA TV, the most viewers in 15 years and up 89% vs. last year.
(Excludes 2011-12 season which began on Christmas Day.) pic.twitter.com/aHP4dVHZ5m
— NBA (@NBA) December 22, 2025
The NBA on Christmas Day will feature five games across the ABC and ESPN networks, marking the 18th straight year of five games on the holiday. The schedule is Cavaliers vs. Knicks (Noon ET, ABC/ESPN), Spurs vs. Thunder (2:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN), Mavericks vs. Warriors (5 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN), Rockets vs. Lakers (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN) and Timberwolves vs. Nuggets (10:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN).
Before the start of the season, the NBA launched “Tap to Watch,” a new digital initiative that simplifies how fans find and access live NBA game telecasts. Tap to Watch leverages the NBA’s vast digital ecosystem to seamlessly direct fans to live NBA games from league, team and a range of popular third-party digital platforms, including all national games on ABC/ESPN, NBC/Peacock, and Prime Video, as well as nearly all local games.
The 2025-26 schedule of national TV games generally features Mondays on Peacock, Tuesdays on NBC/Peacock, Wednesdays on ESPN/ESPN App, Saturdays on Prime Video in the afternoon and ABC/ESPN App at night, and Sundays on ABC/ESPN App in the afternoon and NBC/Peacock at night.
