If there was any lingering doubt about which American sports event truly owns spring or Christmas, the latest NFL Draft viewership numbers just put it to rest by a wide margin.
New reports indicate that the 2025 NFL Draft averaged 13.6 million viewers across its three-day span, surpassing last year’s NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks in comparison. The NFL proved it didn’t even need a live game, highlight reels, or on-field content to command America’s attention over the hardwood.
The draft was held from April 25 to 27 and broadcast on NFL Network, ABC, and ESPN, with each network splitting up broadcast rights and time slots. Round 1 took center stage on Thursday night, while Rounds 2 and 3 moved through Friday, and the final flurry of picks from Rounds 4 through 7 wrapped things up on Saturday.
The city of Green Bay, Wisconsin, was selected to host the event, welcoming a record-breaking 600,000 fans across the three days. The second-highest attendance mark for the draft since it went mobile a decade ago, and day two saw record-breaking figures.
Opening night alone was electric with 205,000 fans packing the streets to see Cam Ward claim the first overall pick by the Tennessee Titans, followed by the Jacksonville Jaguars trading up for Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter to the Giants, rounding out an elite top three. The show continued Friday and Saturday as fans watched in disbelief when Shedeur Sanders, once considered a near-lock for the top five, slid down the draft boards.
Names like Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough, Jalen Milroe, and Dillon Gabriel were all called before Sanders finally heard his name on Saturday. He streamed the process live on Twitch alongside his brother Shilo Sanders, who signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent.
Saturday’s atmosphere saw a reported 220,000 fans show up to watch Sanders’ wait end in the fifth round. He was selected by the Cleveland Browns, the same franchise that already picked Gabriel in Round 3.
(Image: Getty Images)
In contrast, the 2024 NBA Finals between Boston and Dallas struggled to maintain national intrigue past the opening tip. The Celtics steamrolled their path to a record-setting 18th title, skimming past the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Indiana Pacers with hardly any fight.
Boston dropped just two games en route to the Finals, and by the time they overwhelmed the Mavericks 4-1, most neutral fans had checked out. Game 1 saw Boston cruise to an 18-point win. Game 2 teased a closer contest but still ended with the Celtics up by seven, despite Luka Doncic dropping 32 points in an all-out effort.
Game 3 featured a 35-point eruption from Kyrie Irving, but Boston still had too many answers. A Game 4 blowout win for Dallas briefly reignited hope, but Boston slammed the door shut in Game 5, capturing the title in an 18-point routing at home.
- Source: NEWHD MEDIA
