NBA Playoffs Viewership Ratings Reach Highest Level Since 1993

The 2026 NBA Playoffs are averaging 3.91 million viewers per game across ABC, ESPN, NBC/Peacock, and Amazon Prime Video thus far, marking the league’s highest postseason viewership in 33 years. Through April 27, it’s the strongest start since 1993. Game 4 of Pistons–Magic drew 5.42 million viewers on NBC/Peacock, the most-watched first-round weekday Game 4 ever. The surge follows a regular season that also set 24-year highs in U.S. viewership.

Apple topped Wall Street expectations in its fiscal Q2, posting $111.2 billion in revenue, driven by strong iPhone demand ($57 billion in revenue) and a rebound in China sales to $20.5 billion. Services hit a record $30.97 billion, while Mac revenue reached $8.39 billion. The results come as CEO Tim Cook prepares to step down in September, with John Ternus set to take over.

Five-time NBA All-Star John Wall has been named President of Basketball Operations at Howard University, marking a return to Washington, D.C. and a new leadership role at one of the nation’s top HBCU programs. Wall, who starred for the Wizards and retired in 2025, is already involved in roster building, recruiting, and NIL strategy. He will work alongside head coach Kenny Blakeney and GM Daniel Marks as Howard continues to build off its recent tournament success.

Netflix is launching “Clips,” a new vertical video feed on mobile designed to boost engagement and content discovery. The TikTok-style feature will surface hyper-personalized short-form clips from across Netflix’s library, with plans to expand into podcasts and live events. It builds on earlier efforts like Previews and Fast Laughs, but significantly broadens the scope and personalization.

Olivia Rodrigo has announced The Unraveled Tour, a 65-date global run across North America, Europe, and the UK in support of her third album, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love, out June 12 via Geffen Records. The Live Nation–promoted tour begins Sept. 25 in Hartford, CT, with multi-night stops in major cities including Chicago, Paris, London, and more. Opening acts include Wolf Alice, The Last Dinner Party, and others on select dates.

Eli Lilly raised its 2026 sales outlook by $2 billion after a stronger-than-expected first quarter driven by surging demand for its GLP-1 drugs Zepbound and Mounjaro. The company now expects revenue of $82 billion to $85 billion, with adjusted profit guidance also increased. Zepbound sales rose 80% year-over-year, while Mounjaro more than doubled globally. First-quarter revenue hit $19.8 billion, topping estimates.

Amazon’s Prime Video is entering college sports through a multi-year deal with Duke men’s basketball, its first-ever NCAA partnership. Starting this fall, Prime Video will exclusively stream three Duke neutral-site nonconference games per season. The debut slate includes matchups vs. UConn in Las Vegas, Michigan at Madison Square Garden, and Gonzaga in Detroit.

The Seattle Seahawks are attracting early interest from major potential buyers as the franchise sale process ramps up, with at least four groups reportedly exploring bids. According to Front Office Sports, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg and Apple executive Tim Cook, who will step down as the company’s CEO, are among the suitors. The sale could surpass the NFL’s record $6.05 billion price of the Commanders in 2023, with valuations potentially exceeding $10 billion.

Druski has been named host of the 2026 BET Awards, becoming the youngest emcee in the show’s 25-year history and surpassing Kevin Hart’s previous record. The 31-year-old will lead the ceremony live on June 28 from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Known for viral sketches and collaborations with artists like Drake and Snoop Dogg, Druski has built a major online following and is increasingly crossing into mainstream entertainment and live events.

SiriusXM topped Wall Street expectations in Q1, reporting $2.09 billion in revenue while maintaining about 33 million total subscribers. Churn fell to a record-low 1.5% for the first quarter, helped by improved retention despite recent price increases. Podcasting revenue surged 37%, offsetting weaker streaming ad demand. The company also reaffirmed its 2026 outlook of roughly $8.5 billion in revenue as it continues early discussions around a potential merger with iHeartMedia.

Disney and Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, the first Star Wars theatrical release in seven years, is tracking for an $80 million-plus U.S. opening over Memorial Day weekend. Early interest skews male and older, though Disney is pushing to expand family turnout ahead of its May 22 release. The film, starring Pedro Pascal and Sigourney Weaver, marks the franchise’s first major Disney+ crossover to theaters, with IMAX preview screenings planned for Star Wars Day on May 4.

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