NBA All-Star Game Ratings Drop 13%, While NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off Surges
The 2024 NBA All-Star Game recorded its second-lowest viewership in history, drawing an average audience of 4.7 million viewers on Sunday. Ratings were down 13% from last year, continuing a trend of declining interest in the league’s midseason showcase.
All-Star Weekend Struggles Amid Viewer Decline
Not only did the All-Star Game itself struggle, but All-Star Saturday Night events—including the Slam Dunk Contest and Three-Point Shootout—hit an all-time low in viewership, signaling broader concerns about fan engagement with the format.
NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off Outperforms Expectations
While the NBA faced declining numbers, the NHL’s new 4 Nations Face-Off tournament proved to be a ratings success. The U.S.-Canada showdown on Saturday became the most-watched non-Stanley Cup hockey game since 2019, highlighting renewed interest in international competition over the league’s traditional All-Star Game format.
What’s Next for the NBA and NHL?
The NBA may need to rethink its All-Star Weekend to recapture fan interest, while the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off experiment could reshape how the league approaches midseason events in the future.
