By the middle of last season, 29 of 30 NBA franchises offered a direct-to-consumer subscription for fans to purchase live local broadcasts without needing any sort of pay TV bundle. The Houston Rockets are the only holdout.

Data from Playfly Insights shows that roughly 15% of the total audience that watched local NBA broadcasts last season did so through direct-to-consumer streaming apps, a significant gain that is expected to multiply again this season and is an obvious precursor to the future of NBA consumption.

The first two weeks of the 2025-26 NBA season have delivered the most viewers in 15 years, with viewership up 92% year-over-year for nationally televised games, the league announced Friday. National NBA games are averaging the most viewers in 15 years through the first two weeks of the season, up 92% year-over-year.

With the 2025-26 NBA season in full swing, the league is already seeing a lot of buzz and excitement for what’s to come throughout the schedule. The first big event is the NBA Cup, a six-week in-season knockout tournament where each team has a chance to win it all.

DIRECTV is our top pick for watching basketball live for free — its five-day free trial includes ESPN (plus every other channel you’ll need for the NBA season including local channels). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $49.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.