The NFL is making a concerted effort to compete with the NBA on Christmas Day, scheduling two games on December 25 for the first time. The league used to avoid the holiday, allowing the NBA to dominate the day with its own slate of games. However, the NFL is now trying to get in on the action.
Despite the NBA’s efforts, the NFL still dominated Christmas viewership, averaging 24.2 million viewers for its two games. The NBA, on the other hand, averaged 5.2 million viewers for its five games, with its 10:30 p.m. ET game between the Suns and Nuggets drawing the largest late window audience in history with 3.8 million viewers.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, who starred in the Lakers’ Christmas Day game against the Golden State Warriors, claimed that Christmas is the NBA’s day, but the numbers suggest otherwise. The NBA had a strong day, but the NFL’s viewership far surpassed its own.
The NFL’s decision to schedule games on Christmas is likely a long-term strategy to compete with the NBA and other sports leagues. The league will continue to play games on various days throughout the week, including Thursday, Sunday, Monday, and Saturday, in an effort to maximize its reach and audience.