As the NBA and NFL find themselves at odds over Christmas Day scheduling, NBA superstar LeBron James has made it clear: Christmas belongs to the NBA. After leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a Christmas Day victory over the Golden State Warriors, LeBron sent a pointed message to the NFL, asserting that while he loves the football league, Christmas is the NBA’s day to shine.
“I love the NFL. I love the NFL. But Christmas is our day,” LeBron boldly stated, underlining the growing prominence of NBA games on Christmas. The NBA has long claimed the holiday as its own, with multiple high-profile games taking place every year. In fact, 2023 saw a packed Christmas slate with two highly anticipated NBA matchups, a far cry from the three games last year and several other NBA regular season games in previous years.
LeBron’s declaration comes amidst a growing scheduling conflict, as the NFL has started scheduling games on Christmas Day as well. Despite initially stating that they wouldn’t schedule games on Christmas if it didn’t fall on a regular game day, NFL executives have changed course after recognizing the clear demand for holiday games. NFL Executive Vice President Hans Schroeder explained last year that the league saw an opportunity to cater to its fan base during the holiday, echoing a similar move made for Thanksgiving games.
“We’ve seen the opportunity with Thanksgiving and some of the audience that we’ve continued to build there,” Schroeder remarked in an interview with *The Wall Street Journal*. “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 strategic shift, designed to draw in a wider audience, has been met with mixed reactions—particularly from players.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes recently spoke out against the growing number of Christmas Day games, citing the physically demanding nature of the sport. “It’s not a good feeling,” Mahomes said. “You never want to play this amount of games in this short of time. It’s not great for your body.” Despite the grueling schedule, Mahomes acknowledged the nature of his profession, adding that he would still give his best performance. “At the end of the day, it’s your job, your profession,” he explained.
Mahomes’ comments highlight the strain players face, especially when juggling the hectic Christmas schedule. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid echoed this sentiment, noting that managing player workload is essential during this time of year. “That’s a unique situation. You just have to manage it. It is what it is. You make the best of it,” Reid said.
However, the increasing commercialization of Christmas Day sports has sparked criticism, particularly from the Christian community, which argues that Christmas should remain a sacred time for family and faith. Seth Troutt, lead pastor of Ironwood Church in Gilbert, Arizona, voiced his displeasure on social media, saying, “I need to be very clear about something: the NFL should not be playing games on Christmas Day.” Many others shared similar concerns, with one commenter stating, “Christmas day is about focusing on family and Jesus’ birth! The Westernized Christmas is now nothing more than a big money-making scheme.”
As the NBA and NFL continue to jockey for position on Christmas, the debate rages on about the true spirit of the holiday. While some see the sports leagues’ holiday games as a celebration of tradition and family togetherness, others argue that the commercialization of Christmas—driven by TV ratings and advertising dollars—is overshadowing the true meaning of the season. Whether the NBA and NFL can coexist on Christmas without further controversy remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: LeBron James has made it known that the NBA will continue to dominate the holiday season.
