Christmas is always a magical time for NBA fans. Fans can watch the games by traveling to the sports arena or watching at home. But the NFL hopped on the triple-header bandwagon this year. On a blissful day, the spectator witnessed football and basketball mayhem. The fans centered their attention, and the NFL outshone the NBA in viewership terms. It resulted in football fans celebrating.

On December 25th, the NBA traditionally takes center stage with spectacular matchups. But the gridiron provided stiff competition and stood out. The NFL lined up Christmas Day games for the football faithful. There was a massive triple threat, and the playoff fates of several teams were at stake.

NFL outfoxes NBA in viewership

According to Front Office Sports, the three NFL Christmas Day telecasts averaged 22.9 million viewers. It saw a 14.5% surge from the rematch last year. The NBA telecasts on ABC and ESPN on the same day averaged 4.27 million viewers. The two games with the highest viewership in both leagues were the Packers-Dolphins game having 25.92 million viewers, and the Bucks-Celtics game, with 6.03 million viewers.

Football fans could not hold their joy after the NFL surpassed the NBA in viewership.

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Another user claimed the NFL was the king on Sundays and that the NBA had a lackluster lineup of games.

A user called the NFL a juggernaut that cannot be taken down.

Moreover, this user said the NBA needs to make the audience care about the regular season.

Moreover, this user said the NFL is able to attract casual fans, while the NBA cannot.

Another user pointed out how the Bucs-Cardinals have more viewers than the bottom NBA games combined.

This user said the NFL is in a favorable position, unlike the NBA.

Despite the gargantuan difference, the NBA stood out in one aspect as well.

Despite football  games, NBA viewership continues to climb

The NFL competed with the traditional NBA games on December 25th. Given the popularity of football, basketball appeared to be struggling in viewership. It was the first time in football history that a quad feature was played. However, the NBA maintained a stable viewership rating.

According to Deadline, the NBA games aired on ABC and ESPN on Christmas Day and drew record crowds at home. The five-game Christmas Day schedule averaged 4.27 million viewers, a 5% increase from the previous year’s 4.08 million. Furthermore, key demos such as P18-49 and P25-54 increased by 3% year over year on ESPN and ABC.

Despite the competitive pressure, the NBA stood tall and faced off against the NFL.

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