NBA vs NFL:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?
In August 2026, NFL had more branded searches than NBA among sports leagues in New Zealand. NFL was estimated to have 77.9K branded searches compared to NBA’s 68.9K, and held a 2.1% Share of Search versus NBA’s 1.8%.
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Which is more popular in search, NBA or NFL?
Compare the professional sports leagues New Zealand fans watch and follow. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for NFL, NBA. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | NRL | Premier League | A-League | AFL | NFL | NBA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 14.4% | 24.8% | 15.2% | 0.52% | 16.8% | 28.2% |
| Nov 2025 | 3.5% | 24% | 16.2% | 0.27% | 14.9% | 41.1% |
| Dec 2025 | 1.8% | 30.8% | 20% | 0.13% | 14.3% | 33.1% |
| Jan 2026 | 2.2% | 27.8% | 19.9% | 0.16% | 16.9% | 33.1% |
| Feb 2026 | 10.7% | 34% | 21.2% | 0.32% | 3.4% | 30.4% |
| Mar 2026 | 34% | 23% | 14.5% | 1.8% | 0.61% | 26.2% |
| Apr 2026 | 38.4% | 19.1% | 11.9% | 2% | 0.91% | 27.7% |
| May 2026 | 33.8% | 20.9% | 10.8% | 1.7% | 0.28% | 32.6% |
| Jun 2026 | 56.7% | 1.3% | 0.86% | 2.4% | 0.57% | 38.2% |
| Jul 2026 | 85.2% | 3% | 1.8% | 4.2% | 0.72% | 5.1% |
| Aug 2026 | 76.1% | 11.5% | 5.7% | 2.9% | 2.1% | 1.8% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the NBA and NFL comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands once in the 11 months ending August 2026: NFL took it in August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, NBA’s estimated Share of Search among sports leagues in New Zealand moved from 28.2% to 1.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 731K to 68.9K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, NFL’s estimated Share of Search among sports leagues in New Zealand moved from 16.8% to 2.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 435K to 77.9K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand sports leagues in August 2026?
4 changes
In August 2026, Premier League overtook NBA to rank 2nd among sports leagues in New Zealand, at 11.5%.
In August 2026, A-League overtook NBA to rank 3rd among sports leagues in New Zealand, at 5.7%.
In August 2026, NFL overtook NBA to rank 5th among sports leagues in New Zealand, at 2.1%.
In August 2026, NBA lost estimated Share of Search among sports leagues in New Zealand, from 5.1% to 1.8%.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using NBA’s and NFL’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
NBA
22 branded search terms
- nba
- nba com
- nba draft
- nba draw
- nba finals
- nba fixtures
- nba games
- nba games today
- nba ladder
- nba near me
- nba news
- nba nz
- nba online
- nba players
- nba playoffs
- nba result
- nba result today
- nba scores
- nba standings
- nba stats
- nba today
- nba trades
NFL
27 branded search terms
- cowboys nfl
- espn nfl draft
- nfl
- nfl com
- nfl denver broncos
- nfl draft
- nfl draw
- nfl fantasy
- nfl fixtures
- nfl games
- nfl games today
- nfl jerseys
- nfl ladder
- nfl live
- nfl near me
- nfl nz
- nfl online
- nfl players
- nfl preseason
- nfl pro bowl
- nfl scores
- nfl super bowl
- nfl teams
- nfl tickets
- nfl today
- nfl vikings
- r nfl
Put your own brand in this comparison
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