New NBA All-Star Game format draws highest ratings in 15 years

The NBA’s midseason showcase finally got the boost it was looking for.

Sunday night’s All-Star Game, the first broadcast on NBC since 2002, averaged 8.8 million viewers across broadcast and streaming platforms, according to preliminary Nielsen data and Adobe Analytics. This marks the biggest audience for the event since 2011.

The viewership nearly doubled last year’s 4.7 million, up 87%, thanks to the new “USA vs. the World” format, which gave fans more excitement than just highlights and handshakes. The peak audience hit 9.8 million between 7:00 and 7:15 p.m. ET as the USA Stripes narrowly defeated the World team 48-45 in the tournament’s most intense stretch.

On the court, Anthony Edwards earned MVP honors with 32 points, nine rebounds, and three assists across three 12-minute games for the USA Stars, while Victor Wembanyama led the World team with 33 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks.

While not flawless, the new format delivered the excitement the league has been seeking in recent years. Timing also played a role, as the game aired following full-day coverage of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, feeding directly into NBC’s prime-time schedule.

—Field Level Media/Reuters