In what is becoming a rare trend among All-Star Games, the 2024 NBA All-Star Game saw its viewership increase this season.
Per a Tuesday release from the NBA, the game averaged 5.5 million viewers on TNT, TBS, truTV, and Max, a 14% increase from 2023’s game.
11.6 million unique viewers watched the 2024 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday across TNT, TBS, truTV and B/R Sports on Max, up 20% vs. last year. The game averaged 5.5 million viewers, up 14% vs. last year. pic.twitter.com/AM6i5uq9aZ
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) February 20, 2024
While the game did increase from a year ago, it still ranks as the second-least-watched NBA All-Star Game on record, ahead of just last year’s contest.
Both the NFL and NHL saw drops for their All-Star Games earlier this month. The Pro Bowl Games averaged 5.793 million viewers on ABC, ESPN, Disney XD, and ESPN Deportes, the least-watched non-virtual edition of the Pro Bowl ever. The NHL All-Star Game averaged just 1.40 million viewers, the second-least-watched edition on record. Last summer, the MLB All-Star Game averaged a record-low 7.006 million viewers.
For all the discussion about “fixing” the NBA All-Star Game, the league’s issues aren’t unique. All-Star Games are simply not as desirable of a property as they once were, no matter the sport. The novelty factor of seeing out-of-market players doesn’t apply anymore, since we can watch these players pretty much whenever we want. As games have become even more of an exhibition, with stars playing even less to avoid injury, interest has also naturally waned.
Ultimately, All-Star Games are what they are, and it’s tough to envision them getting to the point they were years ago, no matter how many “revolutionary” fixes are touted.
Viewership data for Friday’s All-Star Celebrity Game and Rising Stars game and All-Star Saturday were not immediately available.
