From record-breaking Super Bowl ratings to the WNBA's CBA talks, 2025 was a year of staggering sports data. Here's a look at seven charts that visualize some of the major events that defined the business of sports in 2025. But here's where it gets controversial...
NFL Breaks More Viewership Records: Super Bowl LIX set a new record with 127.7 million viewers, breaking last year's record. Kendrick Lamar's halftime show also drew a record 133.5 million viewers. This highlights the NFL's dominance in U.S. television ratings, but also the impact of changing Nielsen measurements on sports viewership numbers.
World Series vs. NBA Finals: Despite the NBA outdrawing the MLB in 2022 and 2023, the World Series significantly outperformed the NBA Finals in 2025. The Dodgers' championship run attracted 15.7 million viewers, while the NBA Finals, featuring smaller markets, was one of the least-watched in history.
Shai Breaks $70 Million: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder dominated the NBA, with Gilgeous-Alexander winning both regular season and Finals MVP. The Thunder rewarded him with a four-year, $285 million extension, making it the largest average annual value in the NBA and the first contract to break the $70 million annual salary threshold.
Rising Costs to Watch the NBA: The NBA's new $77 billion media-rights deal has led to fragmentation and rising costs for fans. A monthly subscription across all platforms needed to watch NBA games will cost nearly $130 before tax, with an eight-month subscription costing nearly $1,000 and an annual subscription costing nearly $1,400 across four platforms.
WNBA CBA Proposal: The WNBA's second-straight record-breaking season has been overshadowed by CBA negotiations. The Women's National Basketball Players Association is seeking larger salaries and a larger share of revenue, with the latest proposal including a base max contract of $1 million and a minimum salary of $225,000.
College Football Coaching Buyouts: The NIL era has led to significant coaching changes in college football, with a record total buyout amount of over $250 million. LSU owes Brian Kelly $53 million, while Lane Kiffin signed a $91 million deal with LSU, making it one of the biggest buyouts in college football history.
The Hottest Rivalry in Sports: Men's tennis stars Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner dominated the sport in 2025, meeting in six tournament finals and splitting the four Grand Slams. Alcaraz finished the year world No. 1, but Sinner slightly outearned him with $19.1 million, including $6 million won at the Six Kings Slam, an exhibition tournament.
These charts provide a glimpse into the major events that shaped the business of sports in 2025, but and this is the part most people miss... there's more to uncover in the world of sports data. What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with these findings? Share your thoughts in the comments!
