On November 21st, the NBA announced that one month into the new regular season, viewership across all streaming platforms in the United States has exceeded 60 million, marking the highest opening viewership in the last 15 years.
ESPN stated that this is the first season of the NBA's $76 billion 11-year contract with its broadcasting partners, and the viewership in the first month is a very positive sign for the league.
So far this season, NBA content has garnered over 30 billion views on league-owned and third-party social media platforms, also a season high for this time of year.
The league also stated that merchandise sales on the NBA official store have increased by over 20%, with some of the growth driven by players considered part of the "next generation of stars," including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, Victor Wernbanama, Tyrese Maxey, Cooper Flagg, Jalen Brunson, and Luka Doncic.
Meanwhile, NBA League Pass subscriptions have increased by 10%, and platform viewing time has increased by 8%.
Furthermore, attendance at NBA games this season is roughly the same as last season, with an attendance rate of approximately 97%, the second-highest in league history. Currently, 10 teams have sold out all home games this season, including the Celtics, Cavaliers, Warriors, Rockets, Heat, Knicks, Thunder, Suns, Spurs, and Jazz. Other teams, such as the Hawks and Hornets, have also seen attendance rates increase by nearly 10% compared to last season.
