Jan 24, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (L) reacts with injured Joel Embiid (R) after a victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Sixers’ Schedule Reveals Lack of National Attention

Originally posted on Philadelphia 76ers on SI
By Justin Grasso | Last updated Aug 16, 2025 11:52 AM ET

After struggling to impress the NBA in 2024-2025, the Philadelphia 76ers have to be feeling the lack of interest in their team after the 2025-2026 schedule release.

Once a team in high demand, the Sixers have just 14 nationally televised games in 2025-2026. That ranks outside of the top 10, and by a wide margin.

Who’s in the Top 10?

Four teams are tied for the most with 34 games in the national spotlight.

Unsurprisingly, the two West Coast market powerhouses out in California share the spotlight as the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors have 34 games on a national stage.

Although Oklahoma isn’t considered a large market, the NBA is wise to put the defending champions on a national stage as much as possible, as the Oklahoma City Thunder have 34 games.

Lastly, the Sixers’ Atlantic Division rival, the New York Knicks, have 34 games on national TV. As the Knicks continue to look like one of the top contenders in the Eastern Conference, it doesn’t come as a surprise that they are in demand for next year.

Beyond the top spot, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Houston Rockets each have 28 games on national TV. The Denver Nuggets have 26. The final three fill out with the Boston Celtics (25), the Cleveland Cavaliers (24), and the Dallas Mavericks (23).

The Sixers Have Some Work to Do

Entering the 2024-2025 NBA season, the Sixers were one of the most exciting teams to keep an eye on. They had a big offseason, which was headlined by the addition of Paul George.

Reality hit the Sixers quickly. Joel Embiid’s knee still wasn’t right. Paul George’s body wouldn’t allow him to play more than half of the season, and even Tyrese Maxey had his struggles with setbacks.

The Sixers ended up being one of the worst teams in the league. They finished with a 24-58 record, which placed them in the NBA Lottery with the fifth-best odds of landing the top pick. They didn’t win the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes, which would’ve boosted their national TV number.

But the Sixers did end up with the third-overall pick, which turned into VJ Edgecombe out of Baylor. Since Embiid’s health is still an uncertainty, and Paul George has lost some juice since joining the Sixers, the broadcast schedule reflects the idea that there is a lack of excitement for Sixers hoops nationally this year.

The team has some work to do to bounce back.

This article first appeared on Philadelphia 76ers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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