After beating the Golden State Warriors on a last-second decision, LeBron James sent a clear message to the NFL.
Despite his age, James is still the face of the NBA. And as the Los Angeles Lakers star’s statements go, most of the rest of the basketball world is following suit.
The timing of the message delivered to America’s most popular sport on Christmas Day was poignant, as the NBA had five games scheduled compared to the NFL’s two.
The pair of football games is the most for a non-Sunday Christmas Day in the league’s history.
The NFL had no games on Christmas Day every year, while the NBA had packed its holiday schedule for the past decade. Now it looks like the NFL wants to spread out over a few holidays.
“I love the NFL, but Christmas is our day,” James said.
LeBron James sent a clear message to the NFL regarding their Christmas Day doubleheader
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has signed off on the league having games on Christmas
The five-way NBA header, which sees five games played in a row, has become a staple of the competition, with most of the big stars sharing the day with the current opener.
Last year, the NFL’s only game on CBS, in which the Kansas City Chiefs hosted the Las Vegas Raiders while Taylor Swift watched in a luxury suite, was a critical ratings success.
Now it appears the NFL is looking to cash in on the holiday crowd every year, as future Christmas Day games appear to be scheduled through 2026.
This year’s move to Netflix will likely give the NFL’s ratings an even bigger boost, especially with Beyonce performing at halftime of Ravens-Steelers. In the other NFL game of the day, the Chiefs defeated the Steelers.
Clearly, the NBA and its biggest stars still see Christmas Day as their territory, as the NFL traditionally dominates Thanksgiving Day.
It’s much easier for the NBA to schedule games during the holidays, with an 82-game season, a problem the NFL faces every year. Christmas Day falls on a Tuesday.
However, it appears the NFL will be here to stay in a Christmas Day viewership battle.