NBA Opening Night on NBC Draws Best Audience in Over a Decade
NEW YORK - The National Basketball Association’s return to NBC after a 21-year absence resulted in the league’s most-watched opening night since 2010, averaging 5.6 million viewers across NBC and Peacock, according to data from Nielsen and Adobe Analytics. The landmark broadcast signals a strong start to NBC’s new multi-year partnership with the NBA.
The highly anticipated “NBA Tip-Off” event was highlighted by a thrilling double-overtime matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Houston Rockets, which captivated an average of 5.9 million viewers and peaked at 7.1 million during the final minutes. The second game of the double-header, featuring the Golden State Warriors, drew an average audience of 5.1 million.
Peacock, NBC’s direct-to-consumer streaming service, played a significant role in the viewership success, attracting 1 million viewers – its most-watched simulcast event outside of NFL and Olympic Games coverage. This marks a key win for NBCUniversal’s streaming strategy, leveraging live sports to drive subscriptions and engagement.
NBC’s return to the NBA is backed by a substantial US$2.45 billion-a-year deal, granting the network the rights to broadcast over 100 regular season games annually. The schedule includes games on Sunday and Thursday nights, alongside coverage of the All-Star Game, playoff matches, and a conference finals series every other year. Peacock will simulcast all NBC coverage and also feature exclusive Monday night matchups.
The NBA’s broader media rights deals, encompassing NBC, Amazon, and ESPN, are collectively valued at US$76 billion over 11 years, underscoring the league’s continued appeal and value in the sports media landscape.
Looking ahead, Peacock will host its first exclusive NBA game on Monday, October 27th. NBC’s Sunday night coverage will commence following the conclusion of the NFL season.
