The NBA’s Wemby Ratings Rocket

Summary of The NBA’s Wemby Ratings Rocket

by Puck | Audacy

24m•May 29, 2026
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Overview of The NBA’s Wemby Ratings Rocket

This episode of The Powers That Be focuses on why the NBA is enjoying a strong postseason from both a ratings and business perspective, even with so-called “small market” teams like San Antonio and Oklahoma City deep in the playoffs. Peter Hamby and John Oren use Victor Wembanyama’s star power as the entry point to discuss how the league’s new media-rights strategy is performing across NBC/Peacock, ESPN, and Amazon — and how other leagues are studying those deals as they plan their own streaming future.

Key Takeaways

Wembanyama is becoming a true crossover star

  • The hosts describe a repeated “normie” reaction to Wemby: people who don’t closely follow the NBA immediately notice his height, shot-making, passing, and overall spectacle.
  • The point isn’t just that he’s a great player — it’s that he has the kind of visual, undeniable star power that can pull in casual viewers.

Small-market teams are no longer a ratings problem for the NBA

  • Oren argues that the old fear of small-market teams hurting NBA ratings no longer really applies.
  • In this postseason, teams like San Antonio and Oklahoma City are drawing strong audiences, in some cases outperforming bigger-market matchups.
  • The NBA’s real edge is star-driven appeal, not market size alone.

New media-rights structure is already paying off

  • The league’s approach — broadcast first, cable for volume, streaming as a growth layer — is emerging as a template for other sports leagues.
  • NBC and ABC offer wide reach, ESPN provides cable tonnage, and Peacock/Amazon add streaming experimentation without relying on them exclusively.

Ratings and Broadcast Performance

NBC/Peacock and ESPN are seeing strong numbers

  • NBC and Peacock are reportedly averaging over 9 million viewers for Spurs/Thunder games.
  • ESPN’s Knicks/Cavaliers coverage was closer to 8 million.
  • Amazon’s NBA games are much lower by comparison, under 4 million viewers, which is expected for streaming relative to broadcast.

Amazon is playing the long game

  • Amazon is reportedly very happy with year one of its NBA package.
  • The company sees a familiar growth pattern: audience numbers start lower on a new sports platform and rise as viewers build habits.
  • The comparison point is Thursday Night Football, where Amazon’s numbers improved year over year as the platform became more familiar.

What Other Leagues Are Watching

The NBA has created a rights-playbook for the rest of sports

  • Oren says the NBA has effectively shown other leagues how to spread rights across:
    • Broadcast TV for reach
    • Cable for quantity
    • Streaming for experimentation and future growth
  • This “hedge your bets” strategy is likely to influence MLB, the NHL, and others.

The NFL is especially sensitive to regulatory and political blowback

  • The NFL has emphasized that its move into streaming has not reduced its broadcast presence; instead, it’s shifting games from cable to streaming.
  • That messaging appears designed to avoid regulatory scrutiny and political criticism.
  • Even though NFL games on streaming are still available locally, there remains concern about access, local stations, and the public-interest angle.
  • The hosts note this has become a rare bipartisan issue in Washington.

MLB’s Streaming Strategy: Apple and Netflix

Apple TV+ is a test case, not just a rights partner

  • Baseball is using Apple to seed a relationship ahead of future rights negotiations, especially around the 2028 cycle.
  • The hope is that streaming partners will become more invested and eventually bid more aggressively for exclusive packages.
  • The Apple broadcasts are described as technically strong, with crisp video and solid production.

The downsides: lack of visibility and fan friction

  • Apple does not release viewership data, so it’s hard to know how those games are performing.
  • Peter notes the practical problem for fans, especially older viewers, who can have trouble finding or navigating the games and may prefer local announcers.

Netflix is also being watched closely

  • The opening day game on Netflix drew criticism for feeling too much like a Netflix promotion.
  • Still, MLB sees these experiments as part of a broader strategy to make the streaming giants care enough to bid on the sport later.
  • Upcoming Netflix baseball events like the Home Run Derby and Field of Dreams game will be key indicators.

Bottom Line

  • Wembanyama is a ratings accelerant: He’s helping the NBA reach beyond core fans.
  • The NBA’s media-rights model looks successful in year one: Broadcast remains strong, cable still matters, and streaming is growing into its role.
  • Other leagues are learning from this structure: The next wave of sports rights will likely blend broadcast, cable, and streaming rather than relying on one platform.
  • MLB and the NFL are especially watching access and political backlash: The future of sports distribution is as much about public perception as it is about dollars.