In the NBA, the Christmas lineup averaged 5.25 million viewers on ABC and ESPN, a big increase from the all-time low of 2.85 million in 2023. ABC simulcast all five games this year, whereas the broadcaster only carried two a year ago due in part to its Monday Night Football obligation.

“Netflix entered the NFL streaming game on Wednesday with its pair of NFL broadcasts, with the Ravens vs. Texans posting a 24.3 million average minute audience and the Chiefs vs. Steelers notching a 24.1 million average minute audience,” the Bleacher Report wrote of the Christmas games.

The NFL will embark on a new Christmas Day tradition starting this year. Christmas Day games have been played in the past throughout the NFL, but only on special occasions.  That changes Wednesday, as the league will play Christmas Day games in the middle of the week for the first time.