• by Wayne Friedman , December 26, 2024

NBA Christmas Day and special NBA Cup action helped improve some of the league's advertising fortunes so far this season.

Total national TV advertising revenue from the league core TV networks -- ESPN, ABC, TNT, and NBA TV -- is up 6% to $210.2 million since the start of the season (October 22), according to estimates from EDO Ad EnGage.

In addition, impressions are now higher -- up 9% to 12.1 billion -- while national airings have grown 20% to 12,303.

ABC has been a factor in these results, posting double the total of its ad revenue a year ago -- now an estimated $50.2 million. It recently aired the final of the league’s second “NBC Cup” championship.

ESPN and TNT took in lower dollars in the period so far -- at $77.7 million ($88.1 million, the year before) and $76.4 million ($83.7 million) respectively.
NBA TV was up to $5.9 million ($4.2 million).

ESPN aired five Christmas Day games this year, totaling $12.9 million.

In pre-Christmas NBA action, regular-season games on ABC, ESPN, and TNT were down 19% so far this season to average 1.4 million Nielsen-measured viewers -- and off 25%, including NBA TV channel coverage.