NFL vs. NBA TV Ratings: Who had the highest 2023 New Year’s viewership?

We tried to determine the exact TV viewership for the NBA games on December 31 (2022) and January 1 (2023). However, since we could not find the precise data for the NBA games played on that day, we will use the available information to make empirical comparisons. We will also try to find a comparative niche between the two very different sports, football and basketball.

The NFL numbers

On 1st of January 2023, Fox significantly increased viewership, while CBS and NBC saw a decline. The singleheader on Fox had an average of 22.0 million viewers, the highest for any week since 2015. Out-of-home viewing, which is significant on national holidays, was not included in these figures until two years ago.

The single header also had the highest rating (10.75) since 2019. Ratings increased by 7%, and viewership increased by 17% from last year’s Week 17 singleheader on CBS (10.0, 18.77M).

CBS, on the other side, had a 12.0 rating and 24.62 million viewers for its national window (Vikings-Packers in 92% of markets), down 13% in ratings and 8% in viewership from last year on FOX (mostly Cardinals-Cowboys: 13.8, 26.79M), but still the most-watched Week 17 window on CBS in a decade.

In Week 17, CBS and FOX used to have competing doubleheaders. CBS’s early window ratings (Dolphins-Patriots) decreased by 7%, but CBS had a seven-year high average of 18.50 million viewers. On NBC, Sunday Night Football’s Ravens-Steelers game had 10% and 7% declines in ratings and viewership compared to last year’s Vikings-Packers game. The poor ratings and viewership might be attributed to the Ravens-Steelers being a flex game.

The NBA numbers

The NBA experienced a decline in viewership in 2022. The fifth game of the NBA Finals played between the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics, was watched by 13.99 million viewers, ranking it 19th among the most-viewed broadcasts that year. The NBA was placed behind several College Football games, FIFA World Cup games, the Champions League Final, the Kentucky Derby, and the daily Olympic Games broadcasts. If we consider the top viewed events/games per sport, the NBA would take the seventh place on this list, which is disappointing for them.

It’s worth noting that NFL games were not included in this ranking. If there were an absolute list of all events, the NFL would have taken the first fifty spots due to their massive viewership. The Super Bowl between the Bengals and the Rams attracted 99.18 million viewers. The 49ers vs Rams Week 18 game in 2021 drew in an impressive 19.31 million viewers, still bigger then other sports top events of the year.

The 2022-23 NBA regular season had an average viewership of 1.59 million across ABC, ESPN, and TNT, slightly lower than last season (1.61M). Although NBA viewership may be down by about half from its Jordan-era peak, the number of viewers watching primetime television is down nearly half from just a decade ago. During the 2012-13 season, the number of primetime viewers was 112.9 million, which dropped to just 63.8 million in the most recent campaign. As a result of this plunge in primetime viewing, the NBA’s diminished audience still accounts for a greater and greater share of the audience. NBA games averaged a 3% share during the 2022-23 season, the highest of the past 20 years.

The NBA rules the social media world, where it was the most-viewed and engaged professional sports league in 2022. NBA games garnered 29.4 billion video views across all platforms. The league has more fans than the other major pro sports leagues in the US combined, gaining around 25 million followers on social media in 2021, including over 11 million on Instagram.

What is the verdict?

Undeniably, the NFL dominates the ratings, but it’s important to note that comparing its viewership with the NBA’s isn’t entirely fair. For one, the NBA has five times more games in a season than the NFL, which means viewer saturation must be taken into account if we’re going to make comparisons.

In terms of popularity, both the NBA and NFL boast a large following, but they appeal to different demographics. The fast-paced and high-scoring nature of NBA games appeals to a younger audience and has a global reach thanks to social media and star players. Meanwhile, the NFL’s physicality and strategic gameplay have a more traditional fan base, with a significant following in the US.

Another key difference is that the NBA has been at the forefront of social activism and promoting social justice causes. The league encourages players to use their platform to raise awareness about issues that matter to them, resulting in a strong bond between the league and its fans. While the NFL has also tried to engage with fans and address social issues, it’s faced criticism for handling certain situations.