While the NBA is a popular sports brand worldwide, it’s not the most popular professional sports league in its home country. For many Americans, the NFL is still the most-followed sports league in the country, and the Super Bowl weekend closely resembles a holiday more than a sporting event nowadays.
The two leagues have kept a delicate balance to prevent one from cannibalizing the viewership of the other. The NFL starts in September while the NBA begins at a much later date. The two leagues somehow found harmony with this setup.
However, it seems like the biggest sports league in the United States is trying to wage a network war with Adam Silver’s league as a change in their broadcasting schedules for the 2024 season is going to shake up how fans will consume their favorite sports.
NBA faces huge NFL threat as Roger Goodell greenlights Christmas games
![NBA to Fight NFL on Christmas Day 2024 for Viewership, Fans Feel Bad 1 NBA, Adam Silver](https://www.hardwoodheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/USATSI_22720293-scaled.jpg)
For the longest time, the NBA had the monopoly on Christmas games whenever they don’t end up on any of the days the NFL usually plays their games. With this year’s Christmas Day falling on a Wednesday, many believed the world’s top basketball league would have total monopoly on Yuletide sports.
However, Roger Goodell has other plans, as reporetd by The Spun’s Matt Hladik:
The NFL has been making inroads on Christmas for several years, and with today’s news that the league intends to play on the holiday again in 2024 even though it falls on a Wednesday, it’s clear that football on Dec. 25 is about to become an annual tradition.
Fans immediately understood that this would take eyes away from the marquee games the league set up on Christmas and expressed their sympathy to Adam Silver’s league.
“The NFL has just flat out bodied the NBA out of being the premiere sporting event on Christmas Day,” said Barstool’s Jeff Lowe.
“Why does the NFL have to takeover 2 holidays? Christmas is for the NBA,” another person added.
“NFL leave Christmas for the NBA,” said a fourth commenter.
“NFL playing on Christmas even though it’s a Wednesday, the NBA is DEAD,” a fifth person chimed in.
Will the NBA survive with the NFL breathing down their necks?
![NBA to Fight NFL on Christmas Day 2024 for Viewership, Fans Feel Bad 2 NBA, Adam Silver](https://www.hardwoodheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/USATSI_22130790_168400517_lowres.jpg)
It makes sense that the world’s most popular pro basketball league is worried about the idea that the NFL is planning to encroach on their Yuletime broadcast plans. Since the NFL is more popular than they are in the United States, they will likely struggle in the ratings battle.
However, Adam Silver has fostered a great basketball culture around the league. Plenty of its biggest stars now command attention from the sports media, and the league has a dedicated fanbase abroad.
While things aren’t going well on the home front, the NBA should be fine even if the NFL wants to take over Christmas games.
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