NFL He used to do almost everything possible to avoid Christmas.
Now, the league schedules games on Wednesdays to share the holiday break.
Christmas was known as The unofficial start of the NBA season — The season actually starts two months ago — with classic showdowns.
Wednesday saw the typical five NBA games played throughout the day, while two NFL games got underway.
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) dribbles against Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) during the first quarter at Chase Center. (Darren Yamashita/Imagine Images)
After an exciting Christmas Eve matchup between the Lakers and Warriors, LeBron James He made a bold claim with the NBA’s ratings lower and the NFL’s popularity more than ever.
“I love the NFL, but Christmas is our day,” he said.
The numbers say otherwise
It’s worth noting that the NBA had a great day by its standards, averaging 5.2 million viewers on Wednesday, its highest holiday number in five years.
James vs. Stephen Curry’s Warriors game averaged 7.7 million viewers, peaking at 8.3 million. The 10:30 PM ET game between the Suns and Nuggets was also the largest late window ever with 3.8 million people watching.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) dribbles against Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) during the second half Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Eakin Howard)
But the NFL still dominates, with the Chiefs-Steelers and Texans-Ravens games averaging 24.2 million viewers, despite the success of both games on Netflix.
James was predictably trolled on social media.
NFL games will be played on five separate days in Week 17 when it’s all said and done. Thursday, Sunday and Monday are common game days, and Saturday games are played later in the season.
Christmas falls on a Thursday next year, so perhaps the NFL will be similarly loaded for its Thanksgiving triple header.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James gestures to a teammate during the first half against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena. (John E. Sokolowski/Imagine Images)
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The NFL’s Christmas viewership did not match Thanksgiving numbers, while the NBA’s ratings improved after declining early in the season.
But it’s clear that the NFL is king, no matter the day.
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