NFL trumps NBA yet again as Christmas viewership shows clear winner
The NFL and NBA had a rare head-to-head matchup this Christmas. The holiday is usually reserved for the NBA to showcase its top talent. While that happened again, the NFL having two games meant the leagues were in for a ratings battle.
So how did it play out? The ratings are in and it's clear the NFL remains king in the sporting world.
NBA and NFL went head-to-head on Christmas. Results are in:
- 4:30 ET: Packers/Browns on FOX & NFL Network: 28.6M viewers
- 5:00 ET: Warriors/Suns on ABC: 5.1M viewers.
- 8:00 ET: Lakers/Nets on ABC & ESPN: 5.7M viewers
- 8:15 ET: Colts/Cardinals on NFL Network: 12.6M viewers
The early evening NFL window saw the Green Bay Packers play the Cleveland Browns. The NBA had the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns in the same slot. The results were not even close as the NFL drew in over 23 million more viewers.
The results were similar in the primetime slot as a matchup between the Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals had more than double the viewers than a monumental NBA showdown between the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets.
It's a tough blow for the NBA on what is supposed to be the league's biggest day of the year.
NBA just can't compete with the NFL
There is a good reason why the NBA postseason takes place at a quiet time for the NFL. The top professional leagues ensure their biggest moments do not overlap so they can maximize their ratings and get the most money from advertisers.
The NBA is just in a tough spot whenever Christmas falls on a weekend. The NFL scheduled two games this year and the matchup between the Browns and Packers was one with national appeal from the moment it was scheduled.
The NBA was also dealing with the reality of missing plenty of star players due to COVID. The primetime matchup between the Lakers and Nets did feature LeBron James, but not Kevin Durant as he was out in the league's health and safety protocols.
Christmas Day was the one time the NBA really controlled the sports calendar during its regular season. Not anymore. NFL totally wiped them out this year.
The league needs to find a way to gain some relevance. They’re trying with this in-season tournament. It’s a real challenge twitter.com/SportsTVRating…
Advertising rates are in the millions for 30-second commercials and the halftime show during the Super Bowl. Brands put forth their best work in their Super Bowl ad slots. The phenomenon has taken on a life of its own. There is just no way to compete with that.
The NFL also benefits from a shorter season. Despite the expansion of the regular season to 17 games, NFL reigns supreme in the ratings battle. The games on Christmas carried particular added weight because of how late it is in the 2021 season. NBA games on Christmas feature top matchups, but are still games taking place early in the regular season.
This ratings reveal should not come as a shock to any sports fan. However, it is a good measure for the NBA to see where they stand and work on ways to grow their ratings when going up against the NFL. Do different players need to be featured? What about different teams in general?
Those questions are just a few starting points after the NFL once again proved that when they are on, everyone is watching.
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