The NFL He used to do almost anything to avoid Christmas.
Now the league is even scheduling games on Wednesdays to take part in the holiday promotion.
Christmas used to be known as this unofficial start of the NBA season – The season actually starts two months earlier – with classic encounters.
On Wednesday, the typical five NBA games of the day took place, while two NFL games kicked off.
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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/Imagn Images)
After a Lakers-Warriors thriller Christmas night, LeBron James made a bold claim as NBA ratings plummeted and the NFL was as popular as ever.
“I love the NFL, but Christmas is our day,” he said.
The numbers say something different.
It should be noted that the NBA had a great day by its standards, averaging 5.2 million viewers on Wednesday, the most on the holiday in five years.
James’ game against Stephen Curry and the Warriors averaged 7.7 million viewers and peaked at 8.3 million. The Suns-Nuggets game at 10:30 p.m. ET was also the biggest late window ever with 3.8 million viewers.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) dribbles against Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) during the second half on Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Eakin Howard)
But the NFL still dominated, averaging 24.2 million viewers for the Chiefs-Steelers and Texans-Ravens games, even though both games were smash hits on Netflix.
Predictably, James was trolled on social media.
When the time comes, NFL games in Week 17 will be played on five different days. Thursday, Sunday and Monday are common match days, and Saturday matches are played later in the season.
Christmas falls on a Thursday next year, so perhaps the NFL will play similar to its Thanksgiving tripleheader.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James gestures to a teammate during the first half against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena. (John E. Sokolowski/Imagn Images)
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The NFL’s Christmas viewership failed to keep up with Thanksgiving numbers, while the NBA posted better ratings after a decline earlier in the season.
But it’s clear that the NFL is king no matter the day.
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