NBA Finals 2025 Viewership Is a Slam Dunk for CTV Advertisers

Why record-breaking ratings should shift your digital media buying strategy

Slam dunks, buzzer-beaters, and a major win for advertisers.

The 2025 NBA Playoffs are shaping up to be one of the most-watched postseasons in recent memory—and for marketers, the message is clear: it’s time to double down on Connected TV (CTV) advertising.

According to ESPN, the NBA saw its highest opening playoff weekend ratings in 25 years, with an average of 4.4 million viewers across eight games—a 17% increase year-over-year. And the momentum didn’t stop there. A historic Game 7 between the Warriors and Rockets drew 6.6 million viewers, the most-watched first-round Game 7 on cable since 2009. Overall, the playoffs are up 6% in total viewership, with ESPN and ABC posting a 14% jump, and TNT seeing a 3% lift.

In short? Fans are tuning in, streaming in—and marketers should be leaning in.

Teams Turning Up the Heat (and the Ratings)

Storylines are driving viewership as much as Steph Curry’s three-pointers.

The Timberwolves are delivering an underdog run that’s catching fire across social platforms. The Oklahoma City Thunder—led by a breakout year from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander—have ignited a young fan base that’s just as likely to watch from their phone as from the couch. And the Knicks and Pacers are keeping things unpredictable.

This mix of rising stars and seasoned contenders is fueling the kind of narrative-driven engagement that plays perfectly across digital screens and programmatic TV environments.

Adam Silver Gets It: The Future of NBA Media Is Personalized and Streaming

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver recently called the league’s playoff ratings “fantastic,” but he wasn’t just celebrating the numbers—he was outlining a vision for the future. In a recent interview, Silver pointed to “essentially unlimited numbers of alternative channels” as part of a push toward streaming-first, personalized broadcasts, much like the NFL’s ManningCast model.

Whether it’s different camera angles, celebrity commentary, or language-specific feeds, the NBA is clearly investing in streaming and digital-first viewing formats. And that’s exactly where advertisers should be showing up.

Why CTV Advertising Is Built for the Moment

With more fans streaming the playoffs, Connected TV advertising is no longer the side hustle to linear TV—it’s the main event. The NBA’s ratings surge is just the latest proof point that live sports and CTV are a winning combo.

CTV offers advertisers:

• People-based targeting
  Go beyond broad demos to reach households based on real-world behaviors, such as sports fandom, streaming habits, and past purchases.
  
• Creative flexibility
  Experiment with interactive formats, sequential storytelling, QR codes, and omnichannel retargeting.
  
• Real-time transparency and performance
  Measure what matters—from impression to outcome—with Viant’s Connected TV solution, which delivers cross-device measurement, log-level reporting, and household-level targeting to help advertisers optimize campaigns and drive real business results. Plus, with premium publisher integrations and omnichannel execution, you can connect with sports fans wherever they stream.
  

How Viant Can Help Advertisers Win During the Finals

At Viant, we help brands reach engaged sports audiences through premium inventory, real-time analytics, and smarter identity solutions. Our CTV solution empowers advertisers to:

• Activate across CTV, mobile, audio, and DOOH
  
• Tap into sports fans with Household ID™Technology-based targeting
  
• Measure outcomes—like visitation lift, incremental reach, and iROAS—at the zip code level
  

👉 Explore our full Connected TV offering here

Bottom Line: Don’t Miss the Shot

The NBA Playoffs are up. Streaming is up. Attention is high. So if you’re still buying media like it’s 2015, it’s time for a timeout.

As fans flock to streaming platforms for live sports, advertisers have a golden window to drive performance through CTV advertising. Whether your goal is awareness, engagement, or outcome-based KPIs, the NBA Finals present the perfect moment to get in the game.