NBC and Peacock are off to a hot start on the basketball court, drawing record audiences for the NBA’s season opener and the WNBA Finals. The latest numbers show that fans are showing up in force for both leagues, whether they’re watching on broadcast TV or streaming.
NBA Tip-Off Delivers a Ratings Slam Dunk
The NBA’s return to NBC and Peacock got off to a record-breaking start on Tuesday, October 20. According to NBC Sports’ latest viewership report, the Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks matchup averaged 7.7 million viewers, making it the most-watched NBA Tip-Off primetime game ever.
The game peaked at 9.1 million viewers as Philadelphia secured a 106-100 win over New York.
Other opening-day highlights included:
- 6.4 million viewers: The primetime doubleheader featuring 76ers-Knicks and Thunder-Spurs, up 14% from last year’s opening-night doubleheader.
- 2.5 million viewers: The Celtics-Pistons afternoon matchup, the most-watched weekday afternoon regular-season NBA game ever, excluding holidays.
- 5.1 million viewers: The average audience for the first-ever NBA Tip-Off tripleheader carried on one network.
The numbers give NBC and Peacock an early win as they expand their NBA coverage. As we detailed in our guide to Peacock’s 100-plus-game NBA schedule, the platforms will carry plenty more basketball throughout the 2026-27 season.
WNBA Finals Also Put Up Record Numbers
The WNBA is getting its share of the spotlight, too. Game 1 of the 2026 WNBA Finals between the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries averaged 2.1 million viewers across NBC and Peacock on October 17, setting a record for the most-watched WNBA Finals Game 1.
The audience was up 11% compared with last year’s opening Finals game and peaked at 3 million viewers during the closing minutes of Golden State’s 68-64 victory.
NBC Sports is also seeing growth beyond the postseason. Its seven WNBA regular-season broadcasts averaged 1.8 million viewers, a 35% increase over comparable coverage last season, according to NBC’s WNBA Finals viewership announcement.
The network’s latest figures build on a strong year for the league. As we reported when the season began, the WNBA scheduled a record 216 nationally televised games for 2026, spread across multiple broadcast and streaming partners.
How to Watch the Next Games
For cord cutters and hoops fans, there’s more basketball on the way. Game 4 of the WNBA Finals airs Saturday, October 24, at 1 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. If the series continues, Games 5 through 7 will be available on Peacock alongside USA Network’s coverage.
Also, NBC’s broadcast games may be available free over the air with a compatible antenna, depending on local reception. Peacock provides another option for streaming the action, while NBC Sports’ expanding NBA and WNBA coverage gives fans more ways to follow both leagues.
With the NBA opener and WNBA Finals already setting records, NBC and Peacock have plenty of momentum heading into the rest of the basketball season.
Watch the WNBA and NBA on Peacock
