The NFL dominated Christmas Day ratings, while the NBA’s five-game slate was a mixed bag.
The Browns-Packers NFL Christmas Day game averaged a 10.8 rating and 28.59 million viewers across FOX and NFL Network last Saturday, up 22% in ratings and 42% in viewership from Vikings-Saints on Christmas last year (8.9, 20.10M) and the most-watched Christmas Day sporting event in at least 20 years.
The Packers’ win delivered the second-largest audience of the NFL season, trailing only Raiders-Cowboys on CBS Thanksgiving Day (37.84M), and the second-largest audience in the history of the “Thursday Night Football” package.
Later in the day, Colts-Cardinals averaged a 5.3 and 12.62 million on NFL Network — trailing only Steelers-Ravens on Christmas 2016 (14.77M) as the most-watched NFL Network exclusive on record. The Colts’ win jumped 23% and 49% respectively from Dolphins-Raiders in the same Saturday night window last year, albeit on the day after Christmas (4.3, 8.45M).
As one would expect, the NFL dominated the NBA’s five-game Christmas slate. Facing Colts-Cardinals, Nets-Lakers was the top NBA draw with a 2.4 and 5.75 million on ESPN and ABC — down 19% in ratings and 18% in viewership from Mavericks-Lakers last year (3.0, 7.01M) and 47% and 34% respectively from Clippers-Lakers in 2019 (4.6, 8.76M), neither of which faced the NFL.
Brooklyn’s win marked the least-watched primetime NBA Christmas game since Rockets-Thunder on ABC alone in ’17 (4.98M), not coincidentally the last such window to face the NFL.
Warriors-Suns averaged a 2.1 and 5.19 million opposite Browns-Packers, actually up 6% in ratings and 21% in viewership from Nets-Celtics opposite the NFL last year (1.95, 4.28M) but down 35% and 21% respectively from Rockets-Warriors sans NFL competition in ’19 (6.55M).
Celtics-Bucks was a mixed bag with a 2.0 (-9%) and 4.93 million (+3%), while both of ESPN’s exclusive games declined. Hawks-Knicks drew a 1.4 (-19%) and 2.92 million (-16%), marking the least-watched Christmas game in that window since 2013 (Bulls-Nets: 2.78M). Mavericks-Jazz brought up the rear with a 0.7 (-34%) 1.52 million (-26%), the least-watched Christmas NBA game in any window since 2016 (Timberwolves-Thunder: 1.39M).
Rounding out the Christmas Day sports lineup, FOX led into its NFL coverage with 3.00 million for the premiere of its John Madden documentary “All Madden,” which premiered just three days before the longtime NFL analyst’s death. In the leadout slot, Premier Boxing Champions drew a 1.4 and 2.73 million — the largest PBC audience on any network since a 2017 card on CBS (3.06M).
Finally, ESPN averaged a 0.9 and 1.71 million for the Ball State-Georgia State Camellia Bowl — down 22% in ratings and 19% in viewership from last year (Marshall-Buffalo: 1.1, 2.11M).
Christmas Day sports ratings
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 12.29]
