The USA vs World format for the 2026 All-Star Game was the most-viewed contest since the 2011 edition, which was also held in Los Angeles.
The NBA's midseason showcase finally got the bounce it's been chasing.
The first All-Star broadcast on NBC since 2002 averaged 8.8 million viewers across broadcast and streaming, marking the event's biggest audience since 2011, according to preliminary Nielsen data and Adobe Analytics on Tuesday, Philippine time.
That number nearly doubled last year's total of 4.7 million viewers (up 87%), a surge tied to the new "USA vs. the World" format that gave Sunday night an actual hook beyond highlights and handshakes.
The audience topped out at 9.8 million in the 7-7:15 p.m. ET window, as USA Stripes squeezed past the World team 48-45 in the tightest, highest-leverage stretch of the tournament.
[RELATED: Anthony Edwards is MVP as youthful USA Stars prevail in new NBA All-Star Game format]
On the floor, Anthony Edwards picked up MVP honors with a 32-point, nine-rebound and three-assist line for the USA Stars (across three 12-minute games), while Victor Wembanyama powered the World side with 33 points, eight boards and two blocks.
It wasn't perfect, but the format delivered what the league has been pleading for in recent years.
The TV window helped, too.
The game followed a full day of coverage of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics and fed directly into NBC's prime-time programming.
Field Level Media