NBA Viewership is Up

Sport & Story Daily January 14, 2026: Viewership of NBA games is up 18% from this time last season.

Kelsey Middleton
January 14, 2026

NBA Viewership is Up

January 14, 2026

First year of new NBA media-rights deals yielding 18% viewership increase to date
The NBA is up 18% in viewership since the same period last season. There are more games on broadcast TV and fewer on cable compared to last season. The Christmas games helped boost gains in Year 1 of a new media deal. Games across ABC/ESPN, NBC and Prime Video have averaged 2.02 million viewers to date, up over what ABC/ESPN and TNT/truTV had at the start of 2025.
^{Sports Business Journal}

WNBA, players’ union agree to moratorium, halting initial stages of free agency
The WNBA and its players’ union agreed to a moratorium on league business. The moratorium was necessary because the sides failed to reach a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement or extension of the current one. The moratorium will halt the initial stages of free agency.
^{AP News}

Cavs raising season-ticket prices by average of 5%
The Cavaliers are raising ticket prices again. Seats for the 2026-27 season are going up about 5% on average. The Cavaliers say that the increase is typical across the NBA. The increase is due to rising operating costs. This year’s increase is smaller than last year’s 15% increase in 2025-26.
^{Sports Business Journal}

Optimism ESPN-NFL Deal Can Close in April
The ESPN takeover of NFL Media can close in April. Last August, ESPN planned to acquire a collection of assets from the league, including NFL Network. The NFL would also be acquiring a 10% stake in ESPN in the deal. The companies are waiting for government approval. If the deal is done by April, ESPN could take over the assets in time for next season. If not, ESPN will take over in Jan. 2027.
^{Front Office Sports}

Brooks Koepka to return to PGA Tour in January under new program
The PGA Tour is introducing a new program that will allow some of LIV Golf’s biggest names to compete on the tour as soon as this month. One of the golfers is Brooks Koepka. Koepka will make his PGA Tour return at the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego, less than two weeks after applying for reinstatement to the tour following his breakaway from Liv Golf. This is allowed due to the Returning Member Program.
^{Sports Business Journal}

The Chase 101: How NASCAR’s new championship format works
NASCAR announced a return to The Chase championship format. This will be in action for all three national series beginning in 2026. The design will reward performance throughout the season and provide a larger sample size to determine the championship. The number of postseason drivers remains the same from the previous elimination-style format.
^NASCAR

Blue Jackets fire coach Dean Evason, hire veteran Rick Bowness
The Columbus Blue Jackets fired head coach Dean Evason. He is the first NHL head coach to be fired this season. In 2024-25, he nearly got the team into the playoffs. Assistant head coach Steve McCarthy was also fired. The new head coach is Rick Bowness.
^{Yahoo Sports}

Asheville Tourists. Director of Special Events
The Asheville Tourists are completing a $40 million renovation of McCormick Field, transforming the venue into a year-round destination for events beyond baseball. The Director of Special Events is a newly created position responsible for generating revenue and leading the booking, planning, and execution of all non-Tourists events at the ballpark. Apply Now.

Sarasota Paradise. Communications and PR Specialist
We're seeking a proactive Communications and PR Specialist to lead our external storytelling and media efforts as we build brand awareness in the Sarasota-Manatee region and beyond. Reporting directly to the CEO, this role is pivotal in a startup environment, where you'll work closely with departments like Marketing, Operations, and Sales. This is a full-time position ideal for someone with a small business mindset who thrives in fast-paced ops and traditional sports values, focusing on press relations, releases, email newsletters, and influencer marketing—no social media management required. Expect cut-through-the-noise execution to drive real results in a lean team. Apply Now.

Los Angeles Lakers. Manager, Global Social & Digital Growth
The Manager of Global Social and Digital Growth is responsible for driving global awareness of the Lakers brand and growing fandom internationally at a rapid scale. The ideal candidate is a paid media expert who understands how to effectively utilize paid placements across social and digital platforms to reach new global audiences. The role will keep a pulse on and understand cultural trends and nuances within priority international markets to drive international fan engagement. As part of the larger Integrated Marketing plans, this role will promote key marketing initiatives such as tentpoles, seasonal milestones, and cultural moments within priority international markets with support and guidance from Brand Strategy, Marketing Operations, and the broader Integrated Marketing team. Apply Now.

Looking to fill an open position with top talent in the sports media industry? Advertise in the Sport & Story Daily to reach over 25,000 senior-level executives and professionals—and connect your job opportunity with the right audience.

Classic Fiesta Bowl nears low for CFP semifinal
The Fiesta Bowl between Miami and Ole Miss averaged 15.8 million viewers across the ESPN family of networks. The College Football Playoff is the second least-watched semifinal of the CFP era. The lowest was the Clemson-Oklahoma game on New Year’s Eve in 2015. Last year’s Thursday semifinal had 17.2 million viewers.
^{Sports Media Watch}

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