MUMBAI: Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) formally entered India’s commercial aviation map on Thursday with the arrival and departure of its first scheduled passenger flights, marking a long-awaited milestone for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.On day 1 no lounges were open. “In a few days, we will have a temporary lounge with 100 seats in the central area of the terminal building. The Adani-1 lounge with over 125 seats will open about a month later with segregated seating for business and economy class passengers,” said a source. Only one hot meals option available on day 1, Gully Kitchen, by Semolina Kitchens Pvt Ltd. Early morning, passengers queued up in numbers to buy breakfast. “We were expecting only idlis and dosas to be the front runners and they were, but were surprised to find even poha and upma as popular orders,” said one of the restaurant staff. The cheapest dish on offer too was upma priced at Rs 250, followed by poha and idli sambar, starting around Rs 350. Niraj Pratap, a passenger said: “We tried dosa pockets and dosa rolls with flavours like podi roast potato and peri peri chicken which cost about Rs 450 each. It was absolutely delicious and filling.” In a few months’ time, the airport plans to have a “foodhall’’, a food court of sorts with curated gourmet offerings from different cuisines, said an official. On Thursday, the inaugural arrival was IndiGo flight 6E460 from Bengaluru, which touched down at 8 am. The aircraft was welcomed with a ceremonial water cannon salute. Over half an hour later, NMIA handled its first departure, IndiGo flight to Hyderabad, which took off at 8:40 am, completing the airport’s first commercial arrival–departure cycle.“On Day One, NMIA handled 48 flights connecting nine domestic destinations, serving over 4,000 passengers, with peak traffic recorded between 5 pm and 7 pm,” said an NMIA spokesperson. Operations commence with four carriers, IndiGo, Akasa Air, Air India Express and Star Air.Developed and operated by Adani Airports Holdings Limited (AAHL), NMIA is among India’s largest greenfield airport projects. “Chairman Gautam Adani personally welcomed passengers from the inaugural flight and interacted with airport staff, frontline workers and first-time flyers. He later joined a ceremonial walk through the departure terminal with airport employees, community representatives and Adani Foundation beneficiaries,” said the spokesperson. Jeet Adani, Director, AAHL, said NMIA establishes a resilient multi-airport system for the MMR, boosting capacity, enhancing passenger experience, and futureproofing the region’s aviation growth. “It’s a proud day for Mumbai and for India,” said Gautam Adani.Said an airline pilot: “For us, the new airport is called Navi.” It’s not an informal nickname of sorts. That’s the official name that the airport will be called by pilots and air traffic controllers in their radio communication. “When the first IndiGo flight was handed over from the Mumbai approach to Navi Mumbai tower control, we radioed to the pilots, “Welcome to Navi,” said an aviation official. Cultural performances featuring traditional Maharashtrian Lezim (folk dance), Dhol (percussion drums) and Tutari (ceremonial wind instrument) added the local flavour, offering visitors a vivid glimpse into Maharashtra’s cultural heritage. “Farmers, underprivileged families and colleagues with disabilities experienced their first-ever flight through a special chartered aerial tour of Mumbai. India Post also released a commemorative First Flight Carried Special Cover featuring the NMIA terminal, flown on an IndiGo service to Goa,” said the NMIA spokesperson.The launch concluded with a flag-hoisting ceremony followed by the national anthem led by Param Vir Chakra awardees Captain Bana Singh and Subedar Major Sanjay Kumar along with sportspersons Suryakumar Yadav, Mithali Raj and Sunil Chhetri.The opening of NMIA is seen as a significant step in expanding air connectivity for the Mumbai region which has been constrained for decades as the existing Mumbai airport functions out of a single runway. The existing airport handles about 950 flights in 24 hours.

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The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL T20) 2025-26 is set to get underway on December 26, marking the return of Bangladesh’s flagship T20 competition. The tournament will run until January 23 featuring six franchises competing across 34 matches in a tightly structured season that promises high-intensity cricket and strong fan engagement.

The opening phase of the league will be hosted in Sylhet, before the action moves to Dhaka for the playoffs and the final, ensuring a climactic finish in front of packed crowds at the country’s premier cricket venue.

BPL 2025-26: Tournament Format 

The Bangladesh Premier League 2025-26 will follow a double round-robin format, with each of the six teams playing every other side twice during the league stage. This structure ensures competitive balance and gives teams ample opportunity to recover from early setbacks.

After the league phase, the top four teams will qualify for the playoffs, which will include an Eliminator, Qualifier 1, Qualifier 2 and the final. This system rewards consistency while keeping the door open for late surges, a format that has produced dramatic finishes in previous BPL seasons.

Teams competing in Bangladesh Premier League 2025-26

The six teams set to compete in the upcoming season are:

• Rangpur Riders
• Chattogram Royals
• Rajshahi Warriors
• Sylhet Titans
• Dhaka Capitals
• Noakhali Express

Each franchise has assembled a mix of local stars and overseas players, with team combinations expected to play a major role in navigating the fast-paced schedule.

Venues for BPL 2025-26 season

The tournament will be staged across three venues:

• Sylhet International Cricket Stadium
• MA Aziz Stadium
• Shere Bangla National Stadium

The early matches will be played in Sylhet, giving fans in the northeast region a strong opening run of fixtures. The league will then travel to Chattogram, before shifting to Dhaka for the crucial playoff stage and final. The Shere Bangla National Stadium will once again serve as the focal point of the season’s business end.

BPL T20 2025-26: Fixtures & Match Timings (local time)

• Dec 26: Sylhet Titans vs Rajshahi Warriors, Sylhet, 3pm
• Dec 26: Noakhali Express vs Chattogram Royals, Sylhet, 7.45pm
• Dec 27: Dhaka Capitals vs Rajshahi Warriors, Sylhet, 1pm
• Dec 27: Sylhet Titans vs Noakhali Express, Sylhet, 6pm
• Dec 29: Rangpur Riders vs Chattogram Royals, Sylhet, 1pm
• Dec 29: Rajshahi Warriors vs Noakhali Express, Sylhet, 6pm
• Dec 30: Sylhet Titans vs Chattogram Royals, Sylhet, 1pm
• Dec 30: Dhaka Capitals vs Rangpur Riders, Sylhet, 6pm
• Jan 1: Sylhet Titans vs Dhaka Capitals, Sylhet , 1pm
• Jan 1: Rangpur Riders vs Rajshahi Warriors, Sylhet, 6pm
• Jan 2: Dhaka Capitals vs Chattogram Royals, Sylhet, 2pm
• Jan 2: Sylhet Titans vs Rangpur Riders, Sylhet, 7pm
• Jan 5: Rangpur Riders vs Dhaka Capitals, Chattogram, 1pm
• Jan 5: Chattogram Royals vs Rajshahi Warriors, Chattogram, 6pm
• Jan 6: Noakhali Express vs Sylhet Titans, Chattogram, 1pm
• Jan 6: Chattogram Royals vs Rangpur Riders, Chattogram, 6pm
• Jan 8: Sylhet Titans vs Rangpur Riders, Chattogram, 1pm
• Jan 8: Rajshahi Warriors vs Dhaka Capitals, Chattogram, 6pm
• Jan 9: Chattogram Royals vs Noakhali Express, Chattogram, 2pm
• Jan 9: Rajshahi Warriors vs Sylhet Titans, Chattogram, 7pm
• Jan 11: Rangpur Riders vs Noakhali Express, Chattogram, 1pm
• Jan 11: Chattogram Royals vs Dhaka Capitals, Chattogram, 6pm
• Jan 12: Rajshahi Warriors vs Rangpur Riders, Chattogram, 1pm
• Jan 12: Noakhali Express vs Dhaka Capitals, Chattogram, 6pm
• Jan 15: Dhaka Capitals vs Noakhali Express, Dhaka , 1pm
• Jan 15: Chattogram Royals vs Sylhet Titans, Dhaka , 6pm
• Jan 16: Noakhali Express vs Rajshahi Warriors, Dhaka, 2pm
• Jan 16: Dhaka Capitals vs Sylhet Titans, Dhaka, 7pm
• Jan 17: Rajshahi Warriors vs Chattogram Royals, Dhaka, 1pm
• Jan 17: Noakhali Express vs Rangpur Riders, Dhaka, 6pm
• Jan 19: Eliminator: Rank 3 vs Rank 4, Dhaka, 1pm
• Jan 19: Qualifier 1: Rank 1 vs Rank 2, Dhaka, 6pm
• Jan 21: Qualifier 2: Loser Q1 vs Winner Eliminator, Dhaka, 6pm
• Jan 23: Final: Winner Q1 vs Winner Q2 , Dhaka, 6pm

Local time= IST – 1/2 hr = GMT + 5 hr

Also READ: Top 5 contenders for ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year 2025

BPL T20 2025-26: Broadcast and Live Streaming

• Bangladesh: T Sports, GTV; Tapmad, Akash GO
• Pakistan: A Sports HD; ARY ZAP, MyCo, Tamasha, Tapmad
• Sri Lanka: Dialog, PEOTV
• India: FanCode
• Nepal: DishHome
• Afghanistan: Shamshad TV
• USA, Canada & Maxico: Sling TV – Willow TV (sign up here); Willow DRM
• Caribbean: Rush Sports
• Middle East, North Africa & Rest of the World: T Sports YouTube Channel

Also READ: Super Smash 2025-26 Schedule – Broadcast, Live Streaming details | When and where to watch in India, New Zealand & other countries

England’s Josh Tongue with teammates during their Ashes Test match. (Image: AP/Hamish Blair)

England surged through Australia on day one of the fourth Ashes Test, skittling the hosts for 152 as they seized early control at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Captain Ben Stokes won a crucial toss on a green pitch, and his pace trio attacked from the outset as overcast skies hung over a packed crowd.Openers Travis Head and Jake Weatherald fell cheaply for 12 and 10, while Marnus Labuschagne scraped to 6 as Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue found ample movement. Steve Smith looked to steady the innings but was dismissed for 9 when Tongue found his middle stump. England’s fans, the famous “Barmy Army,” celebrated as the hosts faltered.

Post-lunch, Usman Khawaja (29), Alex Carey (20) and Cameron Green (17) offered brief resistance before fading. Neser led Australia’s scoring with 35, but Tongue’s residual menace yielded five wickets for 45 runs.Australia had already secured the series after comfortable wins in Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide, leaving England hoping to salvage pride in Melbourne. The tourists, criticized for their limited Ashes preparations, watched the urn slip away in 11 days amid controversy over off-field behavior during a mid-series beach break.Missing the injured Jofra Archer, England brought back Atkinson, who opened the bowling. An aggressive Head struck back-to-back boundaries off a wayward Brydon Carse, yet he fell for 22, middle-order chopping on to Atkinson’s next over. Weatherald also didn’t last long, feathering one to Jamie Smith off Tongue’s first ball, and Labuschagne edged to slip where Joe Root accepted the catch.Smith and Khawaja briefly steadied, but Tongue struck again, removing the Australia captain and shifting momentum England’s way. The sun appeared as the innings resumed after lunch, and Khawaja lofted a sumptuous boundary off Atkinson, only to fall next ball on a marginal edge to Smith; Carey then flicked Stokes to Zak Crawley at leg gully.Green’s return to form was brief as he crunched successive fours off Tongue, while Neser’s counterpunch in his fourth Test but first red-ball appearance came with three consecutive boundaries off the same bowler. Alas, disaster struck once more: Green was run out for 17 attempting a risky single, and Stokes held a high catch at mid-off as Starc hoisted Carse before Tongue dismissed Neser and Boland, ending Australia’s innings.

A day after another Hindu man was lynched to death in Bangladesh’s Rajbari district, Mohammad Yunus-led interim government on Friday said that the incident was not related to communal violence, alleging that the victim – Amrit Mondal alias Samrat – was “accused” in several serious criminal cases.Bangladeshi government said that it has taken note of the spread of what it termed “misleading information” on social media regarding the tragic killing which took place in in the Pangsha Police Station area of Rajbari.

“According to police information and preliminary investigations, it is clearly evident that the incident is in no way related to communal violence,” the government said in a statement.Who was Amrit Mondal? According to the government, Mondal was a listed top criminal wanted in several criminal cases. The incident was triggered after Mondal entered the area with the intent of collecting extortion money.“Rather, it arose from a violent situation stemming from extortion and criminal activities. The deceased, Amrit Mondal alias Samrat, was a listed top criminal who had entered the area with the intent of collecting extortion money. At one stage, he lost his life during a clash with agitated local residents,” the statement read.“It is noteworthy that Amrit Mondal alias Samrat was accused in multiple serious criminal cases, including murder and extortion cases filed in 2023, and arrest warrants had been issued against him in those cases,” it added.According to locals, Samrat had formed a criminal gang and had long been involved in extortion and other criminal activities. After remaining in hiding in India for a long time, he recently returned home and allegedly demanded extortion money from Shahidul Islam, a resident of the village.How the event unfolded? According to the police investigation, Mondal and his associates entered the area with the intention of extorting money. Mondal and members of his group went to Shahidul’s house to collect the money. When the occupants raised an alarm shouting “robbers”, locals rushed to the spot and beat Samrat.His other associates managed to flee, while Selim was caught with weapons.“Police arrested his associate, Selim, from the scene along with one foreign-made pistol and one pipe gun. Three cases have already been filed in connection with this incident, and law enforcement agencies are continuing their investigation,” the statement read.Government urges restraintsMeanwhile, the interim government condemned the killing and said it does not support any form of unlawful action.“The government strongly condemns this killing. The government wishes to state unequivocally that it does not support any form of extrajudicial activity, mob violence, or unlawful conduct under any circumstances. Legal action will be taken against all those directly or indirectly involved in the incident,” it said.The statement also expressed concern over attempts to project the incident as a communal attack.“The government urges all concerned to act responsibly and refrain from spreading misleading, provocative, or communal statements,” the statement said.Reiterating its “commitment” to law and order, the interim government’s statement read, “The government remains firmly committed to upholding the rule of law and ensuring justice. Bangladesh is a country of communal harmony, and any attempt to undermine the nation’s peace and stability will be dealt with firmly.”Last week, Hindu youth Das was lynched and his body set on fire in Mymensingh district after a mob accused him of blasphemy.The interim government led by Mohammed Yunus condemned the incident. “We wholeheartedly condemn lynching of a Hindu man in Mymensingh. There is no space for such violence in new Bangladesh. The perpetrators of this heinous crime will not be spared,” a statement posted on X said.The killings come amid ongoing unrest in the country and heightened concern over attacks on religious minorities and media institutions.

NMIA Raises Bar with AI-Powered Journey from Entry to Boarding

NAVI MUMBAI: Marking a long-awaited milestone for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) formally entered India’s commercial aviation map on Thursday, bringing a new dimension to air travel in the region. Developed and operated by Adani Airports Holdings Limited (AAHL), NMIA is among India’s largest greenfield airport projects and is designed to handle 90 million passengers and 3.2 million tonnes of cargo annually at full build-out. Its inaugural day saw 48 flights connecting nine domestic destinations, serving over 4,000 passengers, with peak traffic between 5 pm and 7 pm. The first arrival, IndiGo flight 6E460 from Bengaluru, touched down at 8 am, greeted by a ceremonial water cannon salute, while the first departure was an IndiGo flight to Hyderabad at 8.40 am.

Chairman Gautam Adani welcomed passengers from the inaugural flight and joined a ceremonial walk through the departure terminal with employees, community representatives, and beneficiaries of the Adani Foundation.

AI-driven passenger experience

NMIA promises a seamless, AI-powered journey from entry to boarding—a leap ahead of Mumbai’s T1 and T2 terminals. Highlights include:

Passengers on Day 1 experienced some teething troubles, with unclear road signages causing delays, and approach roads under repair. Most travelers opted for app-based cabs, though Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport has launched bus services on five routes.

Infrastructure & operations

Cultural performances featuring Maharashtrian lezim, dhol, and tutari added a local flavour, while underprivileged families and first-time flyers enjoyed a special aerial tour of Mumbai. “This airport establishes a resilient multi-airport system for MMR, boosting capacity, enhancing passenger experience, and futureproofing the region’s aviation growth,” said Jeet Adani, director, AAHL. Despite the distance—around 35 km from Matunga and Dadar—passengers expressed excitement at finally seeing a second airport for Mumbai after decades of constraints. NMIA’s debut, powered by technology and innovation, promises to redefine air travel for Mumbai, blending efficiency, sustainability, and passenger convenience.

Gold, silver and platinum surged to fresh record highs on Friday, driven by strong speculative momentum, and expectations of further US rate cuts amid rising geopolitical tensions.Silver crossed the $75-per-ounce mark for the first time, as both precious and industrial metals climbed to unprecedented levels amid economic and geopolitical uncertainty, Reuters reported.

Silver peaked at $75.1515 an ounce, with spot silver jumping 3.6% to $74.56 after hitting an all-time high of $75.14. Spot gold rose 0.6% to $4,504.79 an ounce by 0423 GMT, after touching a record high of $4,530.60 earlier in the session. Gold has posted its strongest annual performance since 1979, supported by Federal Reserve policy easing, geopolitical uncertainty, strong central bank buying, rising ETF holdings and continued de-dollarisation. Silver has surged 158% so far this year, far outpacing gold’s nearly 72% gain, helped by structural supply deficits, its designation as a US critical mineral and strong industrial demand.Platinum jumped 7.8% to $2,393.40 an ounce after touching a record $2,429.98 earlier in the day, while palladium climbed 5.2% to $1,771.14, extending gains after hitting a three-year high in the previous session. All major precious metals are headed for weekly gains, Reuters reported.Platinum and palladium, both widely used in automotive catalytic converters, have rallied sharply on tight supply, tariff uncertainty and a rotation of investment demand from gold. Platinum is up about 165% this year, while palladium has gained more than 90% year-to-date.

What’s fueling the rally?

“Momentum-driven and speculative players have been powering the rally in gold and silver since early December, with thin year-end liquidity, expectations of prolonged US rate cuts, a weaker dollar and a flare-up in geopolitical risks combining to push precious metals to fresh record highs,” Kelvin Wong, senior market analyst at OANDA told Reuters.“Looking ahead into the first half of 2026, gold could move towards the $5,000 level, while silver has the potential to reach around $90,” Wong added.With traders pricing in two US rate cuts next year, non-yielding assets such as gold are expected to remain well supported in a lower interest-rate environment. Geopolitical risks have also added to market jitters, with the US focusing on enforcing a “quarantine” of Venezuelan oil over the next two months and carrying out strikes against Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria following attacks on Christian communities.(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the asset classes given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)

NEW DELHI: On the occasion of Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s 101st birth anniversary, an exhibition titled ‘Atal Prashasti’ is seeking to bring to life various aspects of the former PM’s life including the many hats he wore, from that of a statesman to that of a poet and orator par excellence.The exhibition, which will be on till Jan 23 at the Prime Ministers Museum and Library (Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya) at the Teen Murti campus, tells the Vajpayee story over three themes: ‘the statesman in action’, roots of conviction’, and ‘words of wisdom’ and follows a descending curatorial narrative.It opens with Vajpayee’s public and political life as remembered by the nation, then delves into the struggles, ideals, and experiences that shaped his convictions, and finally reveals his most intimate dimension as a poet and thinker.Born on December 25, 1924 in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, Vajpayee held office as Prime Minister for three terms. Beginning his career in journalism, he later emerged as a towering political leader and reformer who laid the foundation for important milestones in India’s development.The exhibition highlights Vajpayee multifaceted personality – as a poet, journalist, orator, social worker, and literature, admired across political lines for his intellect, eloquence, and humanism.Besides photographs marking his political journey and time as PM, the exhibition also carries impressions from his days at school and college. The exhibition has been installed at the foyer between Block 1 and Block 2, near Vajpayee’s iconic Ambassador car exhibit. Famous lines of some of his poems that have been inscribed on cloth scrolls welcomes visitors while recordings of his poems in Vajpayee’s distinct voice, with their deliberate pauses, play in the background.As one crosses a scroll highlighting the words from his poem “Bharat ka Mastak Nahin Jhukega”, the wall on the other side captures in pictures Vajpayee and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin signing the Moscow declaration between India and Russia on international terrorism in Moscow in 2001.A photo of Vajpayee visiting Bhuj after the earthquake and one of him addressing the Army during a visit to Kargil and Srinagar in 1998 also find pride of place. There is also a photo of Vajpayee addressing the nation from Red Fort on the first Independence day of the new century on August 15, 2000.The exhibition also has photos that reflect Vajpayee’s softer side like one where he is seen distributing sweets to children and interacting with them during a visit to Warsaw in June 1979 when he was India’s external affairs minister. Another iconic memory is a striking photo that captures Vajpayee and actor Dev Anand in a Janta Party rally in Delhi in December 1979.Also on display are Vajpayee’s books – his speeches and poems and photos reflecting the many awards and honours he received ranging from the Padma Vibhushan to the Bharat Ratna.At the end of the pavilion is an image that is the highlight of the exhibition – a candid shot that captures Vajpayee stepping out of his ambassador and it is aptly captioned as the “silent companion” and just outside one sees on display his “faithful Ambassador” car.

RAIPUR: A group of stick-wielding right wing outfit members stormed Raipur’s mall during the Chhattisgarh shutdown on Wednesday, vandalising property and targeting Christmas decorations and damaging the Christmas tree and Santa Claus figure set up at the mall. The incident took place even though the mall was officially closed in support of the bandh, the mall management said, adding that they have suffered loss of lakhs of rupees due to the violent incident.According to mall management, the group of 40-50 people was aggressive, violent, running around the mall holding rods and hockey sticks asking staff and others inside, ‘Are you Hindu or Christian? What is your caste?’ They were even checking ID cards and badges.Capital police have lodged an FIR on Thursday, based on a complaint lodged by Magneto Mall against 25-30 right wing activists under several relevant sections of the BNS, for voluntarily causing hurt, unlawful assembling at a point, general rioting and mischief.Raipur SSP Lal Umed Singh told TOI that the matter is being taken seriously and police have identified few people involved in the incident and strict action will be taken soon. He said that the decorations for Christmas and New Year were done by the mall outside and inside, which were badly damaged. Police said CCTV footage from the mall clearly captures a group entering with sticks and creating a ruckus. The video of the incident went viral on social media, prompting Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra to share it questioning, “Why is the VHP obsessed with poking its nose into every festival? The VHP should be banned in India before anything else.”CCTV visuals show a group of around 30–40 youths entering the premises together, some carrying sticks, and moving around the mall as chaos breaks out.One of the eye witnesses told TOI, “We were scared we might get beaten. By the time police arrived, a lot of things had already been damaged. More than anything else, it created an atmosphere of fear. Can’t we celebrate the winter festival now?”Mall management has estimated losses of ₹15–20 lakh, saying Christmas decorations, display items and fixtures were smashed. Images from inside show a Christmas tree and festive installations torn down and scattered.Following the vandalism at Magneto Mall, authorities evacuated the Ambuja Mall on Vidhan Sabha road as a precaution. Police cleared visitors and turned back those arriving in the evening.The incidents have raised serious concerns over law and order during the shutdown, even as Hindu organisations and business bodies had publicly backed the bandh call linked to the recent Amabeda violence in Kanker district.While the Chhattisgarh ‘bandh’ saw a huge support by chamber of commerce and traders etc, the members of right wing outfit were all over the place in towns and cities, forcing even vegetable vendors to shut the outlets.

Charles Barkley. Image via: Rich Fury/Getty Images

Charles Barkley did not hold back as the NBA shared its most traditional day with another league. As basketball tipped off on Christmas, the Hall of Famer turned analyst delivered a blunt message that grabbed headlines instantly. Speaking on national television, Barkley questioned why the NBA no longer gets the stage to itself. Barkley made sure to share his frustration directly at the NFL and its leadership.The comments came as the NBA rolled out a full slate of marquee matchups, all airing on ABC. At the same time, the NFL scheduled multiple games on Christmas Day. Barkley believes it has prompted one of his most animated on-air moments this season.

Charles Barkley criticizes NFL for Christmas takeover

Charles Barkley addressed the issue during the broadcast with language that left little room for interpretation. He framed Christmas as a day long associated with professional basketball and accused the NFL of pushing beyond reasonable limits.“The NFL got greedy and started adding Christmas games,” Barkley said on Inside the NBA, via Colin Salao on Inside The NBA. “We used to have this day to ourselves, but Roger Goodell and them pigs at the NFL always want to hog every day of the week now. Christmas is an NBA day.”The NBA scheduled five high-profile games featuring teams like the Knicks, Lakers, Warriors, and Nuggets. Meanwhile, the NFL placed three games on the same holiday, all streamed on Netflix. It was the fifth straight season in which the league scheduled multiple Christmas contests. With that move, the league showed that the approach is no longer experimental.Christmas has long been one of the NBA’s most visible stages, often producing memorable moments and strong ratings without direct competition from other major sports.

Are NFL Christmas games a threat to the NBA?

The NFL’s presence on Christmas has continued to grow. This year’s NFL slate included teams dealing with absent quarterbacks, which affected the overall quality of play. Still, the league moved forward, confident in its ability to draw viewers regardless of circumstance.Barkley made clear that his stance goes beyond scheduling inconvenience. For him, the issue centers on identity and tradition.“Christmas is an NBA day,” he said.While the NFL has not publicly responded to Barkley’s comments, the ratings landscape suggests why the league continues to expand. Christmas games now represent another opportunity to dominate a national audience, even at the expense of long-standing norms.Also Read: “I’m ready to get home” — Stephen Curry shares heartfelt message for wife Ayesha Curry following Christmas Day game win