Travis and Jason Kelce took their ‘New Heights’ podcast to the next level. After recently hosting WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark, the NFL power duo upped the ante once again. This time, however, it was the biggest NBA star ever — yes, LeBron James! The Kelce brothers dropped a teaser on social media to announce their guests, and it was definitely a unique sight to behold. But wait, the conversation between the basketball legend and the football stars brought out a slight concern. Slight? Well, let’s dive into it.

But before that, the former Philadelphia Eagles center had a special introduction for the Akron Hammer. He even went to the extent of mimicking LeBron James’ iconic chalk toss. Jason Kelce announced: “Joining us today, the 6’9″ forward from Akron, Ohio, the #1 pick of the 2003 NBA draft, 2004 Rookie of the Year, 20-time All-Star, four-time MVP, four-time NBA champion, three-time [Olympic] gold medalist, and the NBA’s all-time in career points, that’s right 92ers, please welcome Northeast Ohio’s finest, Mr. LeBron James!” This left Bron saying: “You guys are f–king unbelievable.”

Now, the Chiefs TE, Travis Kelce has a question for Bron: “Who owns Christmas? I love the NFL, but Christmas is the NBA. We’re sneaking in on that territory.” To this LeBron James bluntly responded with a laugh: “Well, listen. I saw the f-cking numbers after the fact. You guys kicked our a–, alright? From a viewership standpoint, y’all kicked our a–.” Well, the NFL’s Christmas Game was streamed on Netflix and it drew in a record 65 million viewers overshadowing the NBA’s 5.2 million.

Bron added: “The games weren’t as great as they should’ve been. But, when you have f-cking Beyonce come out here. I think it’s a different game. When you got Beyonce, Mahomes, and Travis, you guys go there and kick Chris Burns’ a–.” The Kansas City Chiefs won the game 29-10 against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day.

Furthermore, the Los Angeles Lakers star commented: “Beyonce comes out here. You know when you go out there, you got your little brother and he might get beat up one time. You’re like, ‘Hey, we didn’t lose that fight. We stand here. We didn’t lose. That’s how I felt. I had to stand up. I had to stand up for the NBA.” The ever-iconic popstar, Beyonce took over the 2024 Christmas Day Halftime Show, turning it into the Beyonce Bowl. Moreover, who wouldn’t want the Single Ladies singer to take center stage and set the event on fire?

Well, there is no doubt that the NFL stole the show on Christmas leaving not just LeBron James, but the whole basketball community scratching their heads. What did Roger Goodell do right that Adam Silver has yet to discover? And 8 years after taking over the viewership numbers in the NBA finals and defeating the NFL, LeBron has a lot to think about, in terms of helping his league redeem its charm.

LeBron James’ viewership thoughts are something Adam Silver needs to worry about

LeBron James’ honest take on the viewership side of the two leagues needs to be understood. Let’s go back to 2015 and 2016. The 2015 NBA Finals: Cavs vs Warriors registered a record-breaking 11.6 rating / 21 share and 19.94 million viewers on ABC. These numbers went up almost twice in the 2016 Finals when Bron clinched the first NBA championship for Cleveland against the (once) mighty Golden State Warriors. ABC network’s highest-rated and most-watched NBA game with an average 15.8 rating / 29 share and 31.02 million viewers. It was the first basketball game to draw more than 30 million average viewers in 18 years, and only the seventh non-NFL sports telecast (excluding the Olympics) to have done so since 1998.

Since then, the numbers have dropped. Even a Lakers vs. Warriors game barely crosses 5.2 million viewers. NBA viewership on ESPN is down by 28% as of November 21. The first 18 games averaged only 1.772 million viewers. Some blame the election season or the World Series. However, these alone don’t explain the slump. Additionally, many experts argue that the quality of the games has noticeably deteriorated, leaving fans increasingly dissatisfied. On top of that, rising costs associated with subscriptions, cable packages, and other monetary aspects have further contributed to the visible decline in viewership.

LeBron’s brutally honest take serves as a wake-up call for Adam Silver and the NBA. The NFL isn’t just stealing Christmas; it’s stealing the entire spotlight. With thrilling games and Beyoncé-level halftime spectacles, the NBA has some serious catching up to do. Can basketball recapture its magic and reclaim the limelight? Time to step up, Silver—your move!