The NFL used to do almost everything it could to avoid Christmas.
Now, the league is even scheduling games on Wednesdays to get in on the holiday action.
Christmas used to be known as the unofficial start of the NBA season (the season actually starts two months early) with classic matchups.
Wednesday saw the typical five NBA games throughout the day, while two NFL games began.
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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/Image Images)
After a Christmas night of suspense between the Lakers and Warriors, LeBron James made a bold statement with NBA ratings on the decline and the NFL more popular than ever.
“I love the NFL, but Christmas is our day,” he said.
The numbers say the opposite.
It should be noted that the NBA had a great day by its standards, averaging 5.2 million viewers on Wednesday, the most during the holiday in five years.
James’ game against Stephen Curry and the Warriors averaged 7.7 million viewers, with a high of 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 dominated, averaging 24.2 million viewers for the Chiefs-Steelers and Texans-Ravens games even though both games were huge hits on Netflix.
As expected, James was trolled on social media.
NFL games will have been played on five separate days in Week 17 when it’s said and done. Thursdays, Sundays and Mondays are common game days, with Saturday games being played later in the season.
Christmas falls on a Thursday next year, so perhaps the NFL will load up similarly 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)
The NFL’s holiday viewership did not match its Thanksgiving numbers, while the NBA had improved ratings after an early-season dip.
But it’s clear that the NFL is king, no matter the day.
