For decades, Christmas Day belonged to the NBA. It was a marquee event — a full-day slate of basketball games that fans looked forward to, featuring the league’s biggest stars. But now, the NFL is coming for the holiday spotlight, and it’s coming hard.
With news of three NFL games scheduled for Christmas 2025, including the reigning Super Bowl champs, NBA world started asking: is the league losing its grip on the most festive sports tradition? NBA commissioner Adam Silver has finally weighed in.
Adam Silver Speaks Up on the NFL’s Christmas Day Dominance
As the NFL continues to tighten its grip on Christmas Day viewership, NBA Commissioner Silver is making it clear — he’s not backing down, even if the numbers are staggering.
Appearing on SiriusXM NBA Radio, Silver addressed the elephant in the room: the NFL’s massive 30-million-viewer edge on Christmas in 2024. His tone wasn’t defensive. Instead, he embraced the moment.
“There’s nothing wrong with competition,” Silver said. “We don’t own Christmas even though we’ve been playing on Christmas Day for 75 years in our league. There’s this huge tradition of playing on Christmas Day… I think competition keeps you on your toes. The NFL sees an opportunity on Christmas. I accept that.”
"We don't own Christmas…competition keeps you on your toes. The NFL sees an opportunity on Christmas. I accept that”
With the NFL schedule being released this week, Adam Silver talks to @TermineRadio, @Jumpshot8 & Ryan McDonough about how the NBA is approaching potential… pic.twitter.com/0u8TU6Xdf2
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA)
Silver’s comments reflected both realism and resolve. He acknowledged that the NFL is simply playing smart — tapping into a holiday that’s proven to attract massive audiences. But instead of retreating, the NBA is doubling down. Silver said the league isn’t considering a switch to Christmas Eve, even though it’s been brought up.
“There’s been some discussion around Christmas Eve,” he added. “I’m not sure if that makes sense. I think given Christmas has been such a tradition in our league, guys have known there’s no games on Christmas Eve and that’s an opportunity to be with their family.”
So far, neither league is backing off. That means Christmas sports fans could be facing a new normal: NFL action in the early slots and NBA games running into the evening. And while it sounds fun for viewers, it’s a full-on ratings war behind the scenes.
NBA’s Ratings Problem Isn’t New and NFL Isn’t Helping
Let’s be honest — these aren’t the good old days of Christmas basketball. Back in 2004, the much-anticipated showdown between Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant averaged a whopping 13.18 million viewers. That’s more than double what today’s NBA games are pulling in.
Fast forward to 2024, and the NBA averaged 5.25 million viewers per game on Christmas. That’s respectable, but when the NFL casually posts 24 million-plus for both of its holiday games, the contrast is glaring.
And it’s not just Christmas Day. NBA ratings in general have been dipping. The 2025 All-Star Game drew just 4.72 million viewers — a 13% drop from the previous year and the second-lowest in history.
This downward trend is making the NFL’s aggressive scheduling even harder to swallow for the NBA. The NFL doesn’t just dominate Sundays anymore — it’s creeping into Thursdays, Mondays, and now even basketball’s most sacred ground: December 25.
But if there’s one silver lining, it’s Silver himself. His mindset is competitive, not defeatist. By sticking to tradition while embracing the challenge, the NBA might just find a way to reinvigorate its holiday presence.
As for fans, more sports on Christmas isn’t exactly a bad thing. It just means the NBA will need to step up its game — both on the court and in how it markets its biggest day of the year.
