RathOfMan49 | GSW

14 | 6 hours ago

Steph gets traded to Lakers. 76ers vs Lakers G7

WallStreetDoesntBet1 [OP] | NYK

-2 | 6 hours ago

Now we talking… Steph & Luka vs. Bron & Brown (Kessler vs. Embiid in the middle) could set some Finals records.

AnselmoHatesFascists

911 | 7 hours ago

None, 1998 was a different world, those of us who didn’t have cable had 10 TV stations to watch. Internet was a new thing, and people had dial up modems.

X-RayManiac

202 | 6 hours ago

This is correct, you will never recreate the media environment before the internet where we relied on broadcast tv/radio, delivered newspapers/magazines, or cable (which differed depending on your region.)

AnselmoHatesFascists

75 | 6 hours ago

And anyone that writes, “but why does the Superbowl keep breaking ratings?” isn’t being fair because that’s a national/global event that draws in all types of non sports fans. MJ brought in non sports fans and casuals like no one else in NBA history.

YoungKeys | GSW

77 | 6 hours ago

The answer is just NFL is a lot more popular in America. There are normal NFL playoff games that get well over the NBA Finals viewership record every year.

Affectionate-Art9780 | BKN

5 | 6 hours ago

And lots of them, like me, are there for the social aspect, food, halftime, etc than the game. I was at a party last year and can barely remember the teams much less who won.

ChrissyKreme | ATL

2 | 6 hours ago

Also the culture around Superbowl commercials is unique to the tv format

harder_said_hodor | MIN

1 | 4 hours ago

And anyone that writes, “but why does the Superbowl keep breaking ratings?” isn’t being fair because that’s a national/global event that draws in all types of non sports fans

The World Cup final drew 66 million viewers in the States this year, USA vs. Belgium got 50 million even Mexico vs. England got to 44 million.

It’s not just the Superbowl, sporting events that ran basically a month after the NBA finals drew significantly more people and traditionally the WC has not transcended normal sporting events in the States and absolutely trounced the ratings it got in the States in 94, when TV was much more dominant and there was less competition and the ratings were not reliant on Messi or the USA playing

Considering how dominant the NBA is in culturally, the current ratings are definitely disappointing.

BushyBrowz | NYK

1 | 3 hours ago

Soccer is a lot more popular in the US right now than it was back then though

Vaynar | TOR

1 | an hour ago

“Global event”… no, it is not

whydoesgodhateus

3 | 5 hours ago

Monoculture

BonerSteak1622 | LAL

0 | 4 hours ago

The best distraction we had was scrambled blue and green titties on the spice channel.

2020IsANightmare

27 | 6 hours ago

10?

I had 4 or 5. Six at most.

AnselmoHatesFascists

26 | 6 hours ago

We had ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, UPN, FOX, WB and 2-3 other random local channels + local access.

Sweaty_Presentation4

11 | 6 hours ago

2,4,6,7,9,12,14,20,31.

14 was Spanish and there might have been some random higher. This was my house.

MddlingAges | NYK

5 | 6 hours ago

I had 3 American, two Canadian and one PBS. RIP Hockey Night in Canada.

The obvious answer is Lakers vs Knicks. Knicks Spurs was a recent high water mark.

I’m not sure it’s possible any longer. It’s not just the internet, it’s the American public. Football rules and the basketball season is too damn long. People are off on vacation by the time the 7 game Finals is played.

MddlingAges | NYK

1 | 6 hours ago

And, I’ll add a later revelation: the Final Four’s top ratings was in the 70s and beat this number. yeesh.

givemetaxhelp

1 | 5 hours ago

Look at this fancy man here. I had -3 channels, I was creating channels for others.

whydoesgodhateus

0 | 5 hours ago

In the 90s? Out of curiosity where did you grow up?

My friend who didn’t have cable always had the basics FOX, CBS, UPN, PBS, NBC, ABC, WB. That’s 7 alone there

Plus a few local channels (For us Bronxnet, NY55, etc.) and a few other random ass channels

In all he def had 10+ channels

Nopementator

9 | 6 hours ago

I mean, the final episode of M*A*S*H had more than 100 million viewers in 1980’s.

To make a comparison, Lost most viewed episode at the peak of the Lost mania was like 20-25 million viewers and that was 20 years ago or so.

NBA has waaay more followers today but nobody has the true exclusive on big events since millions still watch sport on streaming.

porkchop487 | CHI

2 | 5 hours ago

And Survivor season finale had 50mil live viewers

sctthuynh | GSW

8 | 5 hours ago

While television and entertainment evolution has been a factor, the biggest factor is Jordan.

The Shaq Kobe Lakers in 2000-2003 had the same television ecosystem yet failed to come close to matching Jordans ratings.

LeBackshot

-2 | 3 hours ago

No, Jordan was a factor, but the media ecosystem was absolutely the biggest factor. Look at the numbers for 98’ world series and 98’ olympics compared to today’s world series and today’s olympics for proof.

FFTactics | CHI

2 | 2 hours ago

Then the NFL/Superbowl would be dead now.

LLJedi

2 | 5 hours ago

It’s not about viewership but hypothetically if any matchup can approach Jordan’s farewell. LeBron in the finals against a team w star power ( spurs probably more so than okc and nuggets ) might do it. Or maybe warriors w curry against Knicks going for a repeat.

Gordo-- | GSW

1 | 41 minutes ago

Steph vs Lebron in the Finals one last time to crown the NBA’s ultimate champion for the last 20 years.

noname_SU

-1 | 5 hours ago

I think Lebron’s final game is going to be like something we’ve never seen before just in terms of the buildup and viewership. All types of simulcasts and podcasts and stations outside of sports will be live to cover it.

Jakoobus91 | LAL

1 | an hour ago

No way. Basketball doesn’t hold sway like that anymore, at least not in America. It’ll be a bump for sure in ratings but there’d be more viewers for the Taylor Swift wedding than a NBA player send off.

the_sword_of_brunch

1 | 6 hours ago

10? Maybe I grew up more podunk but with antenna we barely got 5. 4 broadcast networks and PBS.

AnselmoHatesFascists

1 | 6 hours ago

Obviously the big 3 and Fox but did your region not have UPN, WB, PBS and a few other local channels?

lukewwilson | NBA

1 | 5 hours ago

The big three were the local channels

PsychedelicMagnetism

1 | 6 hours ago

I rember there being 1 or 2 shopping channels as well. Im not sure those really count though.

Convergentshave

1 | 5 hours ago

Oh shit! I grew up the same! Haha. We got ABC, PBS and I want to say PAX(?) whatever channel 72 was. 😂.

We watched the HELL out of The Drew Carey Show, Arthur and Super Market Sweep 😂

(Honestly it was truly horrible: it literally took me YEARS to find out who shot Mr. Burns.)

Smok3dSalmon | MIA

1 | 5 hours ago

I remember how the world used to pause when Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa, and Barry Bonds were up to bat. That shit was so cool. There were TVs everywhere and the TV station would cut over to their at bat.

The last Mike Tyson boxing match, even though it was a complete scam, was so nostalgic for that same reason.

Pardonme23 | LAL

1 | 5 hours ago

“

An estimated

106 million people watched the

MA

S

H* series finale, titled “

Goodbye, Farewell and Amen,” when it aired on February 28, 1983.”

Top-Woodpecker6696

1 | 4 hours ago

Yeah I think 1998 was right around the time digital cable and DSL started coming through my area. Before that, cable was 20-30 channels and seen as a luxury and internet meant going through AOL.

Undead_One86 | LAL

1 | 3 hours ago

Agreed

I bet there are more people watching regular season games today around the world than this.

Nobody just relies on cable anymore.

--Rick--Astley--

0 | 4 hours ago

This is just coping. Explain the Super Bowl. No player today has the aura of MJ.

99942A

2 | 43 minutes ago

Go look at the viewers of the MASH or Seinfeld finale and find a show today that can rival that at all

VanGrants | NYK

1 | 28 minutes ago

aura lmfao

UltraZulwarn | DEN

360 | 6 hours ago

not even Game 7 of the 2016 Grand Finals with GSW vs CAV passed 1998.

I don’t think anything in today NBA would even come close to that

innocuous_gorilla | CLE

88 | 6 hours ago

I think the only series that could have potentially rivaled it was Kobe lakers vs LeBron Cavs. And even that would have still fallen way way short.

robsteezy | LAL

25 | 4 hours ago

Having experienced it I can tell you that “game 7 Kobe in the west vs LeBron in the east” was nowhere near the aura of MJs bulls runs. MJ was a world icon.

Midnight_Oil_ | MIL

16 | 5 hours ago

Yeah if that game couldn’t do it, nothing can.

It will take another decade and some emergent LeBron level star to even get something close to this.

LeBron trying to break the Cleveland Curse, the Warriors Dynasty at their strongest, nothing else compared star power wise.

greekyogurtmafia | United States

57 | 5 hours ago

not even Game 7 of the 2016 Grand Finals with GSW vs CAV passed 1998.

It did though in terms of peak viewership. G7 2016 had 44.8m viewers during the last minutes of the 4th quarter

porkchop487 | CHI

21 | 5 hours ago

You’re comparing peak viewership vs average for the Bulls on though

MrVincent17 | DAL

18 | 4 hours ago

His point is that is possible

greekyogurtmafia | United States

3 | 4 hours ago

I am not though, internet says Bulls peak viewership for that game was 42m, but also says peak viewership numbers for that game are hard to accurately measure

VanGrants | NYK

1 | 27 minutes ago

grand finals

SeizureMode | DET

6 | 5 hours ago

Maybe nothing yet in today’s NBA, but if you could draw a big enough international audience, then it could happen. I just dont think enough Americans will be that invested in an NBA game ever again

IhatePizza230 | LAL

8 | 5 hours ago

I’m pretty sure this list is only for the US and doesn’t include international audience

Auir2blaze | TOR

4 | 2 hours ago

Almost 16 million Canadians watched at least part of Game 6 of the 2019 finals, which was 43% of the population.

UltraZulwarn | DEN

1 | 5 hours ago

pretty much ya

CitizenCue | GSW

1 | 5 hours ago

It won’t happen, but it Steph and LeBron made it back to the Finals against each other again it would be a huge deal. Still not as big as the 90s though.

ObiOneKenobae | NYK

1 | 3 hours ago

Flashy as the rosters were, it was still the city of Cleveland vs. a Warriors organization tons of people only learned existed 2-3 years prior. That same game with Lakers vs. Knicks/Celtics branding would have set the record without a doubt.

kizofieva | CLE

1 | 16 minutes ago

Grand Finals

Golden State Warriors vs Serral

Diorisbackup

0 | 5 hours ago

Did the Knicks just not? They were peaking at 30 million

MosquitoOfDoom | BOS

86 | 7 hours ago

This season? None.

xN3Qx

7 | 6 hours ago

Last season could’ve been Knicks vs Lakers.

my_twin_towne

-28 | 6 hours ago

LeBron and Steph is the answer. Game 7. Easily 50M+

HerkulezRokkafeller | UTA

51 | 6 hours ago

Why do you think this year would be different than other Steph/LeBron game 7’s? I think you’re vastly overestimating how much normal people care about them

Naw726 | NYK

-11 | 6 hours ago

I agree tbh.

Bron with a good narrative will pull in viewers but Steph may be less marketable than he used to be, I dont think it would rival 1998.

I think it would have to be something like a knicks 3 peat EC finals vs bron 76’ers or something to generate those views, thats the only conceivable thing for me.

Theres a reason this recent final was one of the most watched, nyc is one of the biggest markets out there

edit: The question was matchup, not finals. I think an ECF of Bron 76ers vs 3peat Knicks is the only current matchup possible with current players that would be able to POSSIBLY rival the 1998 finals.

SharksFanAbroad | GSW

5 | 6 hours ago

Shy of an another pandemic, I think a Knicks vs Sixers finals is gonna be hard to pull off.

HerkulezRokkafeller | UTA

3 | 6 hours ago

People also need to realize Bron was and will never be as box office as Jordan was in his prime, it’s just the reality.

There is a reason Jordan is an icon that transcends generations

IrritableBrain

7 | 6 hours ago

Especially if it was another comeback.

Adventurous-Owl-6085

6 | 6 hours ago

We already tried that

my_twin_towne

-7 | 6 hours ago

You understand the concept of growth, right? 2026 vs 2016 is 10 more years of interest.

royalhawk345

6 | 6 hours ago

NBA viewership hasn’t grown, though. This year’s ratings, despite being an upward spike relative to the rest of the 2020s, are at best on par with the NBA of the 2010s, and lower than most seasons in that span.

Adventurous-Owl-6085

4 | 6 hours ago

So to follow your logic, 1998-2016 is 18 years of “growth”. And yet…

cndynn96 | LAL

168 | 7 hours ago

NoneTV is not the only option to watch the games anymore

mrk-cj94 | BOS

38 | 6 hours ago

Exactly: I find it funny when people in 2020s rank popularity of insert a random sport here based on TV ratings and then blame those sports instead of the TV itself (which dropped massively) because of the declining numbers… the TV ratings topic was outdated 10 years ago let alone now, that’s like living the 90s and say “NBA is not cool, people are not listening to the games on the radio anymore”

JotaPePe15 | OKC

11 | 6 hours ago

This + piracy. Last year was the first time I ever payed for League Pass, before that I always resorted to different streaming websites

ratwayhow

3 | 5 hours ago

What do you think “viewership” measures?

FFTactics | CHI

3 | 2 hours ago

Ratings have included all streaming viewership for many years now.

The Superbowl in 2025 had a 128 million viewers, the Superbowl in ‘98 had 90 million. Streaming has increased viewership of sports, not lowered it.

Diorisbackup

25 | 6 hours ago

None even knicks first chip peaked at 33 million

March4th2026

6 | 5 hours ago

I think if the Lakers made it to the finals last year they could’ve matched the peak

Electric_jungle | WAS

3 | 3 hours ago

I didn’t realize it got that close. I do think Lakers would have pulled in enough to do it then, especially if it ended up close.

Due-Comparison-6440

5 | 3 hours ago

Knicks vs Spurs Game 7 wouldve beat it

behemothpanzer

59 | 6 hours ago

Jordan was one the last of the unimaginably famous people the 80s produced, still doing their thing at the highest level. Michael Jackson, Princess Diana, Mike Tyson, Madonna… by 1998, only Jordan was still doing his thing.

There’s no one on that level of fame today.

sygyzi | ATL

13 | 5 hours ago

I was to young for jordan. How does mid 2000s Tiger compare? When he was injured golf lost like 90% of its viewers

unatnaes | GSW

13 | 5 hours ago

It’s a matter of volume. 90% of golf’s followers is like 10% of Jordan’s.

Don’t check my math, but that’s the idea.

jerrygarcegus | DEN

7 | 4 hours ago

Everybody knew who tiger was but the level of hype around Jordan is hard to explain to someone who didn’t witness it. I wasn’t even basketball back then and I knew who Mike was and loved him lol. Watch the last dance. I grew up in the Midwest at that time and it perfectly encapsulated the feeling of what it was like back then. To put it another way the aura was unbelievable

Sheinkyakyu

1 | an hour ago

As a golf and basketball guy. Tiger was on a similar level of stardom. Like Jordan, he made golf popular globally. But the difference is basketball appealed to all ages and classes. There were cool guys in the league before MJ and after MJ. That isn’t playing down MJ’s influence on the sport all the same. Globally, The Dream Team in 1992 coniciding with Jordan getting over the hump made the game global very quickly. Even my 4 year old self during Barcelona has the most vague memory of MJ being on Irish news. And the shoe brand itself has cemented himself for eternity even if Jordans are in a downturn at present like all basketball shoes.

Tiger made golf explode in places that had next to no presence.. at all. His appeal transcended class status as well. I, as a brown guy, albeit in Ireland, owes Tiger a hell of a lot for firmly cementing my love of the game. I had just got interested in golf literally the year before he won his first major. The decline in viewership when Tiger was and is out is staggering. As was his returns and probably winning for the last time on the PGA Tour and the Masters.

Like, purely in terms of what they did for their sport, I do believe Tiger’s impact was greater. But Jordan is more beloved certainly amongst millenials and up, and as much down to his shoe game, his legacy will continue to be spoken about.

guimontag

0 | 3 hours ago

People aren’t gonna tune in to a PGA tour in droves to watch GOLF

WembyACLTearFeb2027 | NYK

-3 | 5 hours ago

dawg how do you get injured in golf 💀 you’re swinging a stick and riding around in a cart all day

AwareWriterTrick158 | NYK

2 | 3 hours ago

Car accident maybe?

Sheinkyakyu

1 | an hour ago

The cart thing is very much an American and Canadian thing. Nonetheless, professions aren’t allowed to use them. I think I have used a cart ten times total playing golf myself. 7 of those times was in the US and only because my playing partner that day was too used to one. I rather walk.

ShonLayyEmDown | GSW

0 | 5 hours ago

Bro yk a cramp probably feels like an ACL injury to golf players 😂

MumrikDK

1 | 3 hours ago

The era of the Mikes.

mrizvi | GSW

11 | 7 hours ago

Warriors v 6ers

Bron v Steph going H2H for the 5th title of their careers

With Steph leading a 3-1 comeback on the road

Professional-Trash-3

9 | 6 hours ago

Both men would need to be talking about this being their final season the entire year for it to even have a chance. And Steph just signed an extension, so thats not happening

WallStreetDoesntBet1 [OP] | NYK

6 | 6 hours ago

Agreed. That was a huge part of the 98’ Finals; it being MJ’s potential last game ever.

trojan7815 | OKC

4 | 6 hours ago

Only if it’s a game 7, and KD gets traded to the Warriors mid-season, and LeBron, Steph, and KD all state they are retiring after the game.

Ok_Pineapple_Num | GSW

2 | 6 hours ago

Steph leading a 3-1 comeback in the Finals vs. the Bron 76ers… uno reverse baby

Also yeah that hypothetical Game 7 would go nuts ratings-wise

jalopyprince

13 | 6 hours ago

Brooklyn Nets vs Washington Wizards

Far_Accident_4584 | LAL

3 | 6 hours ago

I thought spurs Knicks could of got close to that if it went to a game 7

WallStreetDoesntBet1 [OP] | NYK

-1 | 6 hours ago

Indeed. I think a 2027 Knicks vs. Spurs Game ⁶⁄₇ matchup could hit also hit high viewership.

chasingit1 | DEN

9 | 6 hours ago

Somehow Michael Jordan returned….

Djgarrett1121

-2 | 3 hours ago

I think it’s more of a tv, internet, streaming thing more than a Jordan thing.

Comfortable_Wash_351 | MEM

18 | 6 hours ago

It will never happen. In 1998 there just weren’t as many options for entertainment. I knew a few kids my age that had cable but most of us had three to four channels on tv. Everyone I knew watched those games because they were on NBC during prime viewing hours. then you add the historic component to it.

LeftSide208

7 | 6 hours ago

Theres also the issue of how people are actually watching the games. These past finals reached 33 million viewers. However with how prevalent illegal streaming is, it very well could’ve technically beat the record and we will never know if it actually did.

Sheinkyakyu

2 | an hour ago

Population increase is also a factor though.

Sko_Neezy

20 | 6 hours ago

LeBron announces he’s retiring then plays game 7 vs Wemby

zmathias04 | SAS

1 | 5 hours ago

Against Steph probably does just a little bit more but ya this is the one

cardmanimgur | MIN

9 | 6 hours ago

LeBron in the Finals Game 7, knowing it’s the last game of his career. I don’t even know if that would come close. Viewing habits have changed significantly, and MJ was just on another level in terms of popularity.

boshua

4 | 6 hours ago

Closest thing possible would be a Warriors/Sixers Finals Game 7.

General_Shanks | SAS

3 | 6 hours ago

Well you need to have someone reach goat status and then have them possibly in their last finals. It wasn’t the matchup, it was MJ everyone wanted to watch.

whydoesgodhateus

3 | 5 hours ago

Wish we could have seen what late aughts Cavs/early 2010s Heat vs. Lakers would have done.

We’ll never know

WanAjin | LAL

3 | 5 hours ago

This is like asking who could average 50 points like Wilt, or 20+ rebounds like Russell. The game is just not the same anymore, and the same goes for TV

2017Champs | GSW

10 | 6 hours ago

Warriors vs Sixers NBA Finals game 7 and LeBron and Steph both announce it will be their final game before the game.

Diesel07012012

1 | 6 hours ago

The final game aspect would have to happen for it to even get close.

[deleted]

1 | 6 hours ago

[removed]

barryvon

11 | 6 hours ago

any matchup would break that record, if we make the internet illegal and have 5 tv networks available to anyone for free.

Unable-Main4172

13 | 6 hours ago

Nothing. There is no MJ level draw left

Djgarrett1121

0 | 3 hours ago

Times have changed. You put a lot of players in today’s game back in the 90’s and they’d be just as big of a draw. Steph Curry hitting half court shots. Bron crazy athleticism. Lukas Magic. It’s not a players thing. There’s more things to do in the world than watching basketball on basic cable.

TheMegaSage | TOR

4 | 7 hours ago

Toronto vs Indiana.

P. S. I am being sarcastic.

2020IsANightmare

4 | 6 hours ago

There isn’t one.

It was just a different TV era.

So many different ways to consume basketball nowadays.

And - while the NBA is actually my favorite league - it’s the one sport of the Big 4 where you don’t have to watch entire games.

A touchdown in the 2nd quarter might be the final scoring play. A home run in the third inning might be the final scoring play. A first period hockey goal might be the final scoring play.

There’s gonna be like 100 more combined points scored after Jalen Brunson hits a second quarter jumper.

Easy-Shelter-5140

4 | 4 hours ago

None. This was last game of the goat

jaskaran55 | SAS

2 | 3 hours ago

Spurs vs whoever in 2031 when their about to 4peat lol

DidAnyoneElseJustCum | CLE

2 | 6 hours ago

Can’t compete with the monoculture. The most popular popular x has already happened in every imaginable facet.

McClainLLC | SEA

2 | 2 hours ago

Except Super Bowl record was set last year and most watched World Cup final was in 2022.

DidAnyoneElseJustCum | CLE

1 | 19 minutes ago

By raw numbers sure. I wonder why that is Dr?

AxedCrown

1 | 6 minutes ago

Population growth and expanded viewer access internationally?

owensoundgamedev | TOR

3 | 6 hours ago

Lebron and Steph game 7 finals

Direct-Departure1662

3 | 6 hours ago

lebron goes to boston, curry and kd go to lakers, lakers celtics game 7

heat_fan_ | TOR

1 | 6 hours ago

Probably none

Naismythology | LAL

1 | 6 hours ago

Realistically nothing is hitting those numbers in today’s media landscape

Diesel07012012

1 | 6 hours ago

Chances are slim regardless of matchup.

Interesting_Prune513 | MIA

1 | 6 hours ago

Lakers vs Celtics

Kings vs Wizards

Warriors vs 76ers

ColdYellowGatorade

1 | 6 hours ago

We were all watching the same stuff back then. People knew what aired on what channels and at what time back then. The advent of streaming made these numbers almost hard to reach now. There is so much content out there now that steals attention.

NBA_H8er

1 | 6 hours ago

The funny thing is, US population is up over 36% since then (100 million+ more people !!) so to get the same relative viewership you really need like 48.9 million viewers….

That’s not happening

I mean that was the final game (we thought) of the one true goat, no one out there comparable today

But I hear more people watch around the wold today, which has to be true even just for ease of access.

Goldberg2Dub

1 | 6 hours ago

It would have to be like a Warriors / Cavs 2016 situation where the two best players in the league are squaring off in a Game 7

binhpac

1 | 6 hours ago

For domestic US viewers none, as people have pointed out TV has changed.

For global audience, you can only reach that if NBA is played on major TV channels worldwide. Its currently behind paytv, cable and late night tv times nowadays. Not gonna happen with this setting.

NoShape0 | SAS

1 | 6 hours ago

If Lebron had went to the Knicks and Curry went to the Lakers and both had announced it was their retirement season, and the Finals went to game 7, then maybe.

MrRigby632 | BOS

1 | 6 hours ago

It’s impossible. Everyone watched TV then at the same time. That can’t happen again. Thats like comparing Seinfeld’s ratings with whatever sitcom is on today. Its apples & oranges.

Aff_Reddit

1 | 6 hours ago

If we can get Jokic and Wemby on the Lakers and Giannis and SGA on the 76ers and it goes to septuple OT game 7 it may be close.

jawid72

1 | 6 hours ago

Nobody comes close to our Lord and Savior, Black Jesus.

Not-JustinTV

1 | 6 hours ago

Ive seen this question before…Adam Silver must really want to know

TaxsDodgersFallstar | DET

1 | 6 hours ago

Nba writers getting desperate. Resorting to posting on reddit again. SMH my head

Post-Formal_Thought

1 | 6 hours ago

Your right about Luka vs LBJ.

The only other one I would think is LBJ versus Wemby, with a passing the torch vs lighting the final torch storyline.

Albiceleste_D10S

1 | 5 hours ago

The closest we got was 2016 Game 7 TBH

TooMuchPowerful | LAL

1 | 5 hours ago

If last year’s world series is any indication, you need more than just star power and an amazing series. 2025’s World Series between the Dodgers and Blue Jays blew away the ratings of Dodgers-Yankees the previous year.

https://np.reddit.com/r/baseball/comments/1oni5zc/us_world_series_viewership_by_year/

You need a team on a historic run that people will hate-watch (Dodgers) with a once in a century type player people outside of sports are aware of (Ohtani) playing a series of amazing games including a game 7 that transcended fandom across and beyond sports.

For the NBA, that would require LeBron. On the other side, I think Luka or Curry would fit the bill. And it would have to be a entertaining series. Think the ‘24 Gold Medal game with Curry going devil mode and LeBron matching shot for shot.

Isguros | CHA

1 | 5 hours ago

Yang Hansen and the Trailblazers in the conference finals against the Spurs. Wouldn’t do much domestically, but would do wonders globally.

AwareWriterTrick158 | NYK

1 | 3 hours ago

Maybe if LeBron’s last game is announced ahead of time. Otherwise idk.

Convergentshave

-3 | 5 hours ago

Never happen. People are not interested in LeBron the way they were Mike. Or Rodman for that matter. I get that if you weren’t alive at the time you might contest that statement. But the simple truth is, regardless of ability or the GOAT convo or whatever: LeBron is not, and never will be MJ.

The only athlete who could compare his impact to would be Tyson. So maybe if LeBron signed Mike Tyson to his squad and had him guard Draymond?

Yea I would watch that. 😂. (Could you imagine? 😂😂Just Draymond kicking him in the crotch like “oh I made a mistake” next day he’s on the podcast jaw all wired shut 😂😂)

No but for real. There’s nothing LeBron can do that would generate anything even close to those numbers. Not only was it a different time but those bulls were coming up on a second three peat let’s be honest nobody gives a shit about LeBron saying he wants to “win one for Joel Embiid” 😂.

Remember when Shaq signed with the Cavaliers and was all “my goal is to win a ring for the king”?

Same energy. Just… nah I’m good.

Edit: the CLOSEST I would guess would be like Phillies vs Denver and then ONLY because I assume you’d have a huge viewership in Serbia. KD… nobody cares. Dude has done nothing to generate a regional fan base that would tune in to watch him.

Ch33k0

3 | 2 hours ago

This is what mental illness looks like

[deleted]

1 | 6 hours ago

[removed]

[deleted]

1 | 5 hours ago

[removed]

Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals holds the record as the single most-watched NBA game ever with 35.89 million viewers. What matchup in today’s NBA could rival that?