Christmas 2025 was a huge success for the NBA — at least in terms of ratings.
The five games on the Disney Network were watched by a total of 47.19 million unique viewers, making it the most-watched Christmas season since 2010 and up 45% year-over-year. Those numbers don’t include 2011, when a lockout caused the regular season to begin on Dec. 25.
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Interestingly, the Christmas Day ratings may also hint at an overall changing of the guard. The first two games — Knicks vs. Cavaliers and Thunder vs. Spurs — were the most-watched games.
The Knicks vs. Cavaliers averaged 6.37 million viewers, making it the most-watched Christmas Day game at 12 noon ET in history. The Thunder’s game against the Spurs averaged 6.71 million viewers, making it the second-most-watched game since 2017.
The alliance has also had an impact on social media. According to Videocities statistics, the NBA has been viewed more than 1.6 billion times on social platforms, making it the most viewed sports brand on Christmas Day.
This is notable because the NFL also declares the holiday and has televised Christmas Day games for the past two years. The NFL remains the king of broadcast ratings, but this year’s games have proven decidedly irrelevant, with injuries marring the competition and the majority of teams already eliminated or at risk of being eliminated from the playoffs.
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In the Knicks’ game against the Cavaliers, New York performed well in the final seconds, fighting back from a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Cleveland 126-124.
Dec. 25: Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs dunks against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center.
The Thunder-Spurs game showcases the latest version of the NBA’s burgeoning rivalry, which includes two of the league’s most dynamic young stars in Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama and reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilegous-Alexander.
Other games on the 2025 Christmas slate include Warriors vs. Mavericks, Lakers vs. Rockets and Nuggets vs. Timberwolves.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA Christmas TV ratings up as NFL invasion continues