NEW YORK - Kia NBA Tip-Off 2020 (Dec. 22-25) was the most-watched opening week since 2012, with combined viewership across TNT, ESPN and ABC up 67% vs. last year’s Opening Week from Oct. 22-25 (3.4 million viewers vs. 2.0 million viewers).
The Kia NBA Tip-Off 2020 doubleheader on TNT on Dec. 22 – featuring the Golden State Warriors vs. the Brooklyn Nets and the LA Clippers vs. the Los Angeles Lakers – was the most-watched Opening Night since 2017, averaging 2.9 million viewers. The NBA drove TNT to win the night on cable in all key demographics on Opening Night for the sixth consecutive year and the ninth time in the past 10 years.
ESPN’s exclusive Christmas Day games – featuring the New Orleans Pelicans vs. the Miami Heat and the LA Clippers vs. the Denver Nuggets – averaged 2.83 million viewers, up 10% vs. the comparable windows in 2019 (2.57 million).
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The game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers on ABC and ESPN averaged 7.01 million viewers, making ABC the most-watched network in primetime, and the Pelicans vs. Heat game was the most-watched program of the day on cable.
NBA League Pass, the league’s live game subscription package, also delivered strong viewership during Opening Week 2020, with average minutes watched increasing 67% vs. Opening Week 2019.
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The NBA’s social media platforms generated record engagement from Opening Week, with a 36% increase in video views and a 279% increase in minutes watched vs. last year. Opening Week marked the most-watched week in the 15-year history of the NBA’s YouTube account and @NBA on Instagram was the most-watched account on the platform.