The Big Lead

NBA ratings aren't looking so great after one week

By Joe Lago

Aug 3, 2024; Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France; NBA commissioner Adam Silver during a game between the United States and Puerto Rico during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images
Aug 3, 2024; Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France; NBA commissioner Adam Silver during a game between the United States and Puerto Rico during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images / John David Mercer-Imagn Images
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Is it too early to panic about TV ratings one week into a new season? If you're NBA commissioner Adam Silver, it'd be hard to ignore the discouraging early returns.

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As detailed by Awful Announcing, the NBA enjoyed a strong opening night but saw ratings tumble the rest of the week when compared to last year's numbers in similar broadcast windows for national-game telecasts.

Awful Announcing notes that TNT received a 6% increase in opening-night viewership over last year with its Tuesday doubleheader of Knicks-Celtics and Timberwolves-Lakers. However, the league saw declines the rest of the week for its national games.

ESPN's Wednesday doubleheader of Bucks-76ers and Suns-Clippers averaged 1.6 million viewers, which was down 42% from the network's 2023-24 debut games that included the debut of Victor Wembanyama.

Last Thursday, TNT saw its ratings dip from a promising opening night with Spurs-Mavericks generating only 1.45 million viewers, a 29% decline from last year's comparable broadcast window.

Last Friday, ESPN drew just 830,000 viewers for Pacers-Knicks, but that game faced some tough competition, namely Yankees vs. Dodgers in Game 1 of the World Series featuring MLB's two biggest teams in the country's top media markets.

The 2024-25 season just tipped off, so the first-week ratings, while concerning, shouldn't have Silver and the league office sweating just yet. The NBA doesn't grab people's attention until its Christmas Day extravaganza anyway. Also, one of its most popular teams — Steph Curry's Golden State Warriors — finally appeared on national TV in Tuesday's 124-106 win over the Pelicans.

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