NBA starts season with a bang, sees highest opening-month viewership in 15 years; Over 60 million fans tune in and second-best in-arena attendance in league history

The NBA is off to a historic start this season, hitting record-breaking viewership and attendance milestones. Through the first month, the league attracted more than 60 million viewers, marking the highest opening-month audience in 15 years. Fans’ enthusiasm has also been evident in arenas, with attendance reaching the second-highest in NBA history.

National NBA games airing on NBC/Peacock, Amazon Prime Video, and ESPN have drawn over 60 million viewers in the first month of the regular season, the league said in a statement on Thursday. This figure excludes the 2011-12 season, which kicked off on Christmas Day, one of the NBA’s biggest viewership days.



The strong start comes in the first year of an 11-year, $76 billion media rights deal. Meanwhile, NBA content has surpassed 30 billion views across league-operated and third-party social media platforms, setting a new record for this stage of the season.

Merchandise sales on NBAStore.com have surged over 20%, the league reported, fueled largely by “next generation stars' such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, Victor Wembanyama, Tyrese Maxey, Cooper Flagg, Jalen Brunson, and Luka Doncic.

Meanwhile, NBA League Pass subscriptions have risen 10%, with viewers spending 8% more time watching games on the platform, reflecting growing fan engagement across both digital and retail channels.

In-arena attendance is keeping pace with last season, which ranked as the second-highest in NBA history, with arenas operating at roughly 97% capacity leaguewide. Ten teams - the Celtics, Cavaliers, Warriors, Rockets, Heat, Knicks, Thunder, Suns, Spurs, and Jazz - have sold out every home game so far. Additionally, teams like Atlanta and Charlotte have seen attendance climb nearly 10% compared to last year.

The surge is fueled by star-studded rosters, exciting matchups, and compelling team storylines. Strong social media engagement and global streaming access have further boosted fan interest. With such a strong start, the NBA appears set for one of its most-watched and attended seasons in decades.