Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James took a moment yesterday to apparently throw some shade at the NFL, seemingly defending the NBA's claim over sports on Christmas Day.
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In a post-game interview following the Lakers' narrow 115-113 over the Golden State Warriors, James briefly mentioned Steph Curry's recent comments about retirement and then, after a beat, abruptly and unpromptedly brought up the NFL.
"I love the NFL. I love the NFL. But Christmas is our day," James said.
In 2022, the NFL made headlines by scheduling three games on Christmas Day, since the holiday fell on a Monday — a day the league typically reserves for games.
At the time, NFL officials stated they wouldn't schedule Christmas games if the holiday fell on a day outside their usual programming window, like Tuesday or Wednesday.
However, after seeing strong TV ratings from last year's Christmas Day matchups, where the NFL easily outdrew the NBA, the league has changed its tune. Now, the NFL acknowledges it will play on Christmas every year, regardless of the day it falls on, solidifying its position as the dominant sport for Christmas Day.
"We've seen the opportunity with Thanksgiving and some of the audience that we've continued to build there," NFL executive vice president of media distribution Hans Schroeder has said. "We think there's an opportunity when the calendar allows it on Christmas now, too, when we know our fans are going to be together."
This year, the NFL scheduled two games for Christmas, and they were also streamed on Netflix, expanding the league's reach even further.
With ratings still to be officially released, it remains to be seen whether the NFL can continue to outpace the NBA in Christmas Day viewership.
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Meanwhile, the NBA hosted five marquee games, featuring some of the league's biggest stars.
The highlight of the day was LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers taking on Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. James, at 39 years old, led the Lakers with 31 points, 4 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block, while Curry posted 38 points and 6 assists.
Despite the star power and an exciting back-and-forth game, the NBA couldn't quite match the novelty of the NFL's Christmas games, which also included a live-streamed halftime show by Beyonce.
It will have to be seen whether the NFL can gain a foothold on Christmas as a sports day, but it sounds like James may not be all that happy about it.
For more on the NFL, head to Newsweek Sports.
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