The NBA is back, and NBC, ESPN and Amazon Prime each have seen viewership rise in the most-watched October opening week in 15 years, according to the NBA.
The NBA Tip-Off 2025 had nearly 37 million viewers in the United States tuning in across NBC/Peacock, ESPN and Amazon Prime. This marks a staggering 100% increase year-to-year and the most viewers for an opening week in 15 years.
The NBA season kicked off with a bang on October 21, featuring two thrilling matchups. In the first game, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the defending champions, emerged victorious against the Houston Rockets in a nail-biting 125-124 double-overtime finish. This game, averaging 5.85 million viewers on NBC and Peacock, was the most-watched opening-night game since 2010. The second game of opening night saw the Golden State Warriors securing a 119-109 win against the Los Angeles Lakers. This matchup, with an average of 5.11 million viewers, was the most-viewed game during the late window.
ESPN experienced a surge in viewership, recording its second-highest opening week since 2014, with an average of 2.2 million viewers across four games on Oct. 22 and 23. Meanwhile, Amazon Prime saw a 13% increase in viewership, averaging 1.25 million viewers during its debut, which featured matchups between the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics, as well as the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lakers.
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