Is the NBA dying? After a regular season marked by slipping viewership numbers and growing concerns, the 2025 NBA Playoffs have come through as a surprising win for the league.
The 2024–25 regular season averaged just 1.53 million viewers across ABC, ESPN and TNT, which was down 2% from the year before. It was the NBA’s lowest average viewership since the pandemic-affected 2020–21 season. Everyone started questioning whether the league had lost its spark.
But over the past month, everything changed.
The 2025 NBA Playoffs exploded out of the gate, delivering the most-watched opening weekend in 25 years. Across eight games, the league averaged 4.4 million viewers, which is a 17% jump from last season. Additionally, ESPN and TNT Sports both broke records, with ESPN platforms (ABC and ESPN) averaging 4.49 million viewers, the most ever for a playoff opening weekend on their networks.
This year’s postseason might just be the moment the NBA got its groove back. With more competitive matchups, fresh storylines, and historic viewership numbers, the playoffs reminded fans why they fell in love with the game in the first place.
Some people in Skyline, like Aryan, have even told me “This has been the best NBA playoff season ever in my opinion. The hype, underdogs, and tightly contested games have been something to look forward to every day after school!” Whether you’re a longtime fan or someone who tuned out during the regular season slump, now’s the perfect time to rejoin the action.
For more information:
NBA Playoffs deliver most-watched opening weekend in 25 years
Average TV viewership of the NBA regular season
