ESPN Is Still Lying About NBA Ratings

On Monday, ESPN posted a graphic on X touting the success of the NBA this season. Specifically, the network highlighted a "5%" increase from a season ago.

Hmm.

Readers might recall that just a few weeks ago a report saying NBA games on ESPN were down 28 percent year over year. That's quite a change. It's also quite misleading.

When you click on the link attached to the post, ESPN references NBA ratings on "ESPN platforms." Keyword: platforms.

ESPN's NBA ratings are not actually up 5 percent — or anywhere close to that. The network calculated that figure by combining the ratings on ESPN and its sister station ABC, thus "ESPN platforms."

But here's why the spin is so dishonest: The network aired all five Christmas Day games this year on both ESPN and ABC, compared to just two last year. 

The difference is substantial. ABC is a broadcast network that airs in significantly more homes across the U.S. than a cable network like ESPN. Live sporting events on broadcast networks frequently draw millions, as in plural, more viewers than sporting events on cable.

Moreover, the NFL aired three games head-to-head with the NBA last Christmas, compared to only two this Christmas. In response, the NBA put its juiciest matchup (LeBron vs. Steph) in primetime on ABC without any competition from the NFL. (Last year, the NBA put a dud matchup in primetime on ESPN against an NFL game on Fox.)

Naturally, ESPN and ABC saw an "84% year-over-year increase" on Christmas Day. The network then coupled that inflated increase with its previous double-digit decline and landed at a "5%" increase year over year.

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As you see, networks can manipulate ratings. They often do. In this case, ESPN is spinning a disastrous year for the NBA into a