The first night of potentially the final season of the NBA on TNT got off to a strong start for the network.
Tuesday’s NBA Opening Night on TNT averaged 3 million viewers for its doubleheader featuring the defending champion Boston Celtics against the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers hosting the Minnesota Timberwolves.
TNT Sports delivered 3 million average viewers for its @NBAonTNT Opening Night doubleheader coverage, up 6% vs. 2023
🏀 Includes the most-viewed Opening Night early window game — 🍀 @celtics‘ victory over the @nyknicks — in 7 years pic.twitter.com/TGldbcE4Wj
— TNT Sports U.S. PR (@TNTSportsUS) October 23, 2024
The telecast was up 6% versus Opening Night in 2023 which featured the Lakers taking on the then-defending champion Denver Nuggets and the Phoenix Suns taking on the Golden State Warriors. Per the network, Tuesday’s Knicks-Celtics opener drew the largest audience for an early window game on Opening Night in seven years.
Of course, the latter of Tuesday’s games also featured a storyline rarely seen in professional sports when Lakers star LeBron James played alongside his son Bronny. One would imagine that type of intrigue contributed to TNT’s strong viewership.
In all likelihood, Tuesday night marked the beginning of the end for the NBA on TNT, and with it, the popular studio show Inside The NBA. The network remains in litigation with the NBA over the exercising of matching rights from its current agreement with the league. Should that fizzle out or result in a settlement as expected, TNT’s 36-year run of broadcasting the NBA will come to an end.
Where the network’s scores of talent end up beyond this year will be one of the dominant media stories of this NBA season. But for now, TNT can start the season on a positive note with a nice viewership story.
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.