While national NBA ratings were solid at the end of the regular season, local ratings told a different story. Despite early season declines in viewership of around 20%, the league rebounded late, spurred by increased Christmas Day audiences and renewed interest from the Luka Dončić trade. The NBA concluded the season down just 2% across ABC, ESPN, and TNT.
In contrast, local NBA broadcasts fell significantly, with average viewership down 13% across data from 25 of the league’s 30 teams, as reported by Puck’s John Ourand. This decline stems primarily from the rise of cord-cutting, reducing the number of subscribers to the regional sports networks that carry NBA games. Furthermore, the positioning of these networks within pay TV bundles has shifted, with many moving to more expensive tiers that have fewer subscribers. As a result, the reach of local broadcasts has been further restricted, compounded by the growing availability of games on paid streaming services not counted in traditional TV ratings.
The Chicago Bulls experienced the largest decline, with viewership plummeting by 62% this season due to an ongoing dispute between Chicago Sports Network, the game broadcaster, and Comcast, a major pay TV provider. Other teams with notable drops include the Atlanta Hawks (53%) and Miami Heat (52%). Interestingly, two teams that exited their regional sports networks in 2023, the Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns, saw declines of 44% and 23%, respectively, in the second year of their over-the-air deals.
On a positive note, the Cleveland Cavaliers boosted their viewership by 60% while securing the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Houston Rockets also had a strong showing with a 45% increase, and the Portland Trail Blazers reportedly doubled their local viewership following their transition to an over-the-air station. These figures highlight the dire state of the regional sports network business, as teams struggle to reach viewers amid increasingly complex broadcasting challenges.
Correction: This piece originally incorrectly indicated that 25 of 30 NBA teams had seen year-over-year declines. The exact number of franchises that have experienced a decline in local viewership is currently unclear.
