NBA opening night draws record viewership on NBC and Peacock

The NBA's opening night on October 22, 2026, achieved record viewership with NBC and Peacock averaging 6.4 million viewers. This marks a 14% increase from last year's opening night, which had 5.9 million viewers. The 7.7 million viewers for the Sixers-Knicks game contributed significantly to the record, highlighted by LeBron James's debut with the Sixers. The Knicks' popularity following their recent championship win also attracted viewers. The Thunder-Spurs match later that night pulled in 4.8 million viewers, while the Celtics-Pistons afternoon game drew 2.5 million viewers, further emphasizing a strong start to the season.

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