The NBA's local TV landscape is undergoing a significant shift, with teams navigating uncertain futures as they seek new broadcasting partners. The Oklahoma City Thunder, with an impressive average viewership of 1.8 million, has emerged as a key player in this evolving market. This figure, which rivals or exceeds the ratings of many nationally televised NBA games, highlights the Thunder's strong local following and the potential value of their local TV rights.
The NBA's overall viewership for the 2025-26 regular season across ABC, ESPN, NBC, and Prime Video averaged 1.78 million viewers, according to Nielsen. The Thunder's performance is particularly notable, as they lead team viewership, followed by the Lakers, Knicks, Rockets, Nuggets, Spurs, Celtics, Mavericks, Warriors, and Cavaliers. This data, revealed in Nielsen's Spring 2026 Tops of Sports report, underscores the Thunder's ability to attract a dedicated audience.
However, the NBA's local TV rights are facing challenges. The FanDuel Sports Network RSNs, a long-standing partner, are shutting down, leaving teams like the Thunder, Spurs, and Cavaliers in the market for new local television homes. The Thunder's high viewership makes their local TV rights especially lucrative, but the bidding process is complex.
Initially, Fubo was seen as a leading bidder, but the streamer recently withdrew its bid, leaving DAZN and Victory+ as the main contenders. These streamers are seeking long-term guarantees, which individual teams cannot provide. As a result, teams are selling short-term local rights, while the league will handle the streaming RSN, potentially limiting the value of these short-term deals.
The question for teams is how much revenue they can generate from short-term arrangements. This uncertainty adds an element of intrigue to the bidding process, as teams with strong local followings like the Thunder may attract temporary partners despite not averaging 1.8 million viewers. The NBA's future in local TV is uncertain, but the Thunder's performance highlights the importance of local fan engagement and the potential for lucrative deals.
