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NBA All-Star Game Draws 8.8 Million in NBC Return, Highest Since 2011

Olympic lead-ins plus a return to NBC lifted the new USA vs. World showcase.

Feb 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Team World center Victor Wembanyama (1) of the San Antonio Spurs shoots against Team USA Stripes forward LeBron James (23) of the Los Angeles Lakers in game three during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Feb 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Team USA Stars guard Anthony Edwards (5) of the Minnesota Timberwolves poses with the MVP trophy after the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Feb 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; From left: Victoria Monet, Teyana Taylor, Queen Latifah, Meghan Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry Duke of Sussex watch in game two during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Feb 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Team USA Stars guard Anthony Edwards (5) of the Minnesota Timberwolves shoots while defended by Team USA Stripes guard Donovan Mitchell (45) of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Overview

  • Preliminary figures show an average of 8.8 million viewers across NBC, Peacock and Telemundo, up 87% from 2025 and the largest All-Star audience since 2011, with a peak of 9.8 million.
  • The telecast aired at 5 p.m. ET between NBC’s Winter Olympics blocks in its first All-Star broadcast since 2002, a scheduling and distribution shift credited with widening reach.
  • The new USA vs. World round-robin format drew praise for more competitive play, which reporters link to stronger engagement alongside the broader platform mix.
  • Through the break, regular-season games are averaging about 1.80 million viewers across NBC/ESPN/Prime Video, up roughly 16% year over year, with NBC averaging about 2.6 million, up 97% in comparable windows.
  • Prime Video is averaging 1.06 million viewers (1.21 million in 30 comparable windows, down 7%) with a younger median age audience, while analysts note Nielsen methodology updates and Adobe streaming data complicate historical comparisons.