NBA ratings for opening week eclipse 2019 by almost 95%

This past week, NBA viewers from all over the world watched 81.5 million hours of live games on ESPN, TNT, and ABC, which was a 95% increase from last year’s opening week.

In a press conference on Wednesday, the league stated that the total hours watched this opening week was the most it has seen since 2011. That same year, the NBA opened the season on Christmas day which mirrored a similar approach to this year with the first game airing this past week on December 22nd.

Typically, the NBA season commences in October but due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the league had to suspend the season until December of this year. Similarly, the start of the 2011 season was suspended until Christmas day because of ongoing labor disputes between the owners and the players. The owners wanted to inculcate a hard salary cap and a harsher luxury tax so that teams would be limited in their options of free-agent signings and contract extensions. In the end, a new Collective Bargaining Agreement or CBA was established which allows for a more flexible salary cap but a harsher luxury tax.

TV ratings were not the only ratings that were heavily impacted during opening week. Compared to 2019, the NBA saw a 36% increase in video views and a 279% increase in minutes watched in this year’s opening week.

According to the NBA, its YouTube account had its most-watched week in its fifteen-year history during this opening week and its Instagram account hit its most-watched week in its history.

This influx of new viewers, which was absent during last year’s season is a hopeful sign for the NBA as they begin yet another unprecedented season. Social media accounts promoting NBA content will also look to have a positive growth due to popularity seen in this first week. If this is any indication of what is to come in the following season then the NBA should look to continue this seemingly successful approach.