League: NFL Sport: Football Country: United States Category: Scores & Results

Debate emerges over NBA's Christmas Day presence amid NFL expansion

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 12, 2026, 4:06 AM

Last updated Aug 12, 2026

Debate emerges over NBA's Christmas Day presence amid NFL expansion

Summary

As the NFL increases its presence on Christmas Day, the NBA maintains its stronghold. The NFL has scheduled three games for the holiday, shifting from traditional networks to Netflix, leading to speculation about the NBA moving its games to Christmas Eve. However, historical viewership data shows that the NBA's Christmas Day games consistently attract a substantial audience, averaging around 5.5 million viewers. This trend indicates that the NBA's long-established commitment to the holiday provides it with a significant advantage over any potential challenges from the NFL’s scheduling changes.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

By the Numbers

•NBA has scheduled games on Christmas Day for nearly 60 years.
•NFL has been playing Christmas games since 2021, now including three games this year.
•NBA viewership dropped in 2023 to 2.9 million but rebounded to 5.5 million last year.
•NFL's move to Netflix created an opportunity for NBA audience recovery.
•Pat McAfee suggested moving NBA games to Christmas Eve, which has faced criticism.

Latest Updates

4:06 AMYahoo Sports — Why the NBA Should Never Give up Their Spot to the NFL on Christmas Day

What they're saying

"
"The NFL is powerful enough to change the way sports fans consume Christmas Day. It is not powerful enough to make the NBA abandon it." The post Why the NBA Should Never Give up Their Spot to the NFL on Christmas Day appeared first on Barrett Media.
— Yahoo Sports

Related Teams & Leagues

NFL Football