The NBA received damning evidence of just how far behind the NFL the sport has fallen based on the TV ratings on Christmas Day, as football crushes basketball whilst fans turn on the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James.
It has been a long-time Xmas tradition for the NBA to host games on December 25 whilst the NFL has been inconsistent at best, although reliable since the Covid-19 pandemic truly took off in 2020.
LeBron ignites NFL rivalry
So as the USA’s two most popular sports clashed again on the birthdate of Jesus of Nazareth, the 39-year-old LeBron felt as though his own domain would emerge as king as he proudly declared, “Christmas is our day.”
But the reality from Wednesday was far from the truth. The NBA averaged 5.25 million viewers per game across the nation, with the Lakers vs Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors peaking at 8.32 million.
Despite that representing an 84% increase from 2023, it was still absolutely smashed by the NFL. The two games showed on Xmas Day by Netflix averaged 24.1 million viewers, with Nielsen reporting a total of 65 million watched a minimum of 60 seconds.
So football fans took the chance to gloat at LeBron, who is a four-time NBA champion, for what was a more than comprehensive end to the debate of which sport is actually top of the hill at the moment.
One user wrote to Instagram, “And LeBron said that Christmas belongs to the NBA lol. NFL got that wrapped up.”
A second added, “Maybe if LeBron play more and talk less them ratings would be different.”
And a third commented, “Didn’t LeBron say the NBA owned Christmas? lol.”
LeBron stars vs Warriors
LeBron was determined to stand by his words on December 25 as the Lakers took on, and beat, the Warriors to the score of 115-113 as the NBA legend dragged his team by the scruff of the next past Steph Curry.
The four-time MVP put up 31 points, 10 assists and four rebounds on the night as he continues to shrug off a slump of form, by his standards.
Over the last three games, he has now produced 91 points, 27 assists and 22 rebounds.
