NBA All-Star ratings hit new record-low

The NBA All-Star Game was an airball in the ratings, falling to easily its smallest audience on record.

Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game averaged a combined 2.2 rating and 4.59 million viewers across TNT and TBS, making it easily the lowest rated and least-watched edition of the game. The previous lows were a 3.1 (2021 and 2022) and 6.1 million (2021).

Ratings declined 29% and viewership 27% from last year’s All-Star Game (3.1, 6.28M). While All-Star Game viewership has been trending down, this year’s declines are the steepest for the game since 2000 — the first All-Star Game after a one-year hiatus due to the 1998-99 NBA lockout.

It should be noted that this year’s All-Star Game lacked some of the usual stars. Warriors G Stephen Curry missed the game entirely and the leading votegetters in each conference — Lakers F LeBron James and Bucks F Giannis Antetokounmpo — exited early.

The record-low audience places the NBA All-Star Game well behind this year’s “reimagined” Pro Bowl, which drew 6.28 million across ESPN, ABC and DisneyXD. It also ranks further behind the leader in All-Star viewership, the MLB All-Star Game (7.51M). Even at a record-low, the NBA All-Star Game still ranks as the highest rated in adults 18-49 (1.8) and 18-34 (1.5).

As should surprise no one, the All-Star Game was no match for the Daytona 500 earlier in the day (4.4, 8.17M) — though even at a record-low, it comfortably outdrew Daytona in adults 18-49 (1.8 to 1.4) and 18-34 (1.5 to 0.8). Overall, the All-Star Game was Sunday’s top television program in 18-49 and 18-34 and tied Daytona for the top spot in 25-54 (1.93).

The primary TNT broadcast averaged a 1.8 and 3.71 million — down 32% from last year — and an “Inside the NBA” simulcast on TBS drew a 0.43 (-4%) and 877,000 (+3%).

While the All-Star Game itself declined, the hour leading up to the game — which featured the NBA All-Star Draft — increased 10% from last year to 3.9 million viewers. The All-Star Draft in particular averaged 3.34 million, not surprisingly several times higher than last year, when it took place several days prior to the All-Star Game (460K).

In other All-Star weekend action, NBA All-Star Saturday Night averaged a 1.6 and 3.42 million on TNT — the lowest rating and viewership for the event in at least two decades. Ratings and viewership fell 19% from last year (2.0, 4.24M). Friday’s Rising Stars Challenge also fell to a historic low with a 0.49 and 888,000, down 31% and 28% respectively from last year (0.7, 1.23M).

The only event that did not sink double-digits to a historic low was the Celebrity Game on ESPN, which actually increased 6% in ratings and 8%in viewership to a 0.75 and 1.40 million.

While All-Star weekend was a relative bust for TNT, the network is currently pacing at its highest regular season average in four years with 1.45 million viewers (slightly ahead of last year’s 1.44 million). NBA games overall were averaging a 0.9 and 1.6 million viewers entering the All-Star break, even with last year.