The NBA's new media-rights deals are paying off, with a 18% increase in viewership for the first year. But here's where it gets interesting: while some networks are thriving, others are struggling to keep up. NBC saw a strong start with its package on Oct. 21, and ESPN and ABC are up 30% season-to-date. However, Prime Video's debut NBA season is seeing the service average 1.2 million viewers per game, which is a significant drop from linear TV. The NBA has also seen a total audience of 115 million people in the U.S. watch national games this season, the best figure for that metric at this point in the season on record. But the real controversy lies in the fact that the audience is significantly younger than with linear TV, with the NBA's median age on Prime Video being 46.6 years old, nearly eight years younger than the NBA on linear TV this season. This raises questions about the future of media-rights deals and the changing preferences of viewers. So, what do you think? Do you agree or disagree with this interpretation? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
