• Loading stock data...
Friday, September 12, 2025
Tuned In is Almost Sold Out! Limited Tickets Remain!

Detroit Lions Riding Hype To Primetime Games, Sellouts

  • The Lions will be featured in four primetime games, and on Thanksgiving Day during the 2023 season.
  • Season tickets sold out for the first time since the Lions moved into Ford Field in 2002.
Syndication Detroit Free Press

While the Detroit Lions have a long way to go to rival the Kansas City Chiefs, their clash with the defending Super Bowl champions to open the NFL season is a small but significant victory for the long-tortured franchise.

Thursday night’s game — on NBC at 8:20 p.m. ET — is one of four primetime showcases for the Lions this season. Combined with their traditional Thanksgiving Day game, that makes five exclusive national broadcast windows that will spotlight Detroit for the entire country — an unprecedented number typically reserved for the league’s best and most popular teams.

The Lions may be the NFL’s newest media darlings, but the hype is being felt at home, too. This summer, Detroit sold out its season tickets for the first time since the team moved into Ford Field in 2002. 

Although the Lions ranked 29th in average attendance last year with 63,429 fans per game, they ranked 17th in average capacity percentage — filling up 98.3% of the 65,000-seat Ford Field.

Money Talks

After narrowly missing out on the playoffs last season with their first winning record since 2017, the Lions are betting favorites to win the NFC North — a feat some Detroit fans may never have thought they’d see again.

For BetMGM, the Lions are one of the biggest liabilities to win the Super Bowl at +2200 — 7% of bets (5th most among NFL teams) are on Detroit to win the championship. That’s a major increase from the 2022 season, when just 2.2% of Super Bowl futures were on the Lions at +12500.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl Rematch Could Set More NFL Ratings Records

Fox will nationally televise Sunday afternoon’s matchup.
Sep 6, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; General view of a Fox Sports camera station before the game between the Delaware Fightin Blue Hens against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field.

Lachlan Murdoch on Fox’s Sports Strategy, FanDuel Plans

The executive calls a forthcoming streaming bundle with ESPN “essential” for fans.
Mar 4, 2025; Washington, DC, USA; House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., speaks with Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene, R-Ga., ahead of President Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on March 4, 2025.

House Republicans Delay SCORE Act Vote Tentatively Planned for Next Week

They didn’t believe they had enough votes to pass the bill.
[Subscription Customers Only] Jul 9, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Real Madrid CF forward Kylian Mbappe (9) reacts after a semifinal match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at MetLife Stadium.

CVC Builds Out Sports Division Amid Crowded PE Market

The firm’s sports portfolio is reportedly worth $13.6 billion.

Featured Today

ESPN’s ‘MNF’ Ratings Up 8% As NFL Surges to Strong Start

ESPN posts its second-best Week 1 “Monday Night Football” audience.
Sep 7, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills fans react during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium.
September 9, 2025

As Bills Ascend, Their Next Frontier Lies in Canada

Buffalo and the powerful Canadian entity MLSE come together in a new pact.
opinion
September 9, 2025

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly from NFL’s Week 1 Broadcasts

Many viewers decried the addition of ads to “NFL RedZone.”
Aug 23, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) leads the team onto the field for warm ups before a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.
September 7, 2025

Slow Burn: The NFL’s Private-Equity Era So Far

Three deals have been struck to date. But the league is bullish.
Mar 3, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier (2) warms up prior to the game against the Washington Wizards at Kaseya Center.
Sponsored

Hornets Cancel Sports Betting Night Vs. Heat Over Terry Rozier Tie-In

Terry Rozier is under federal investigation for point-shaving in a 2023 game when he was on the Hornets.
Sep 10, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; A general view of the main scoreboard at Yankee Stadium during a moment of silence for Charlie Kirk before the game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers.
September 11, 2025

Yankees Prepare for Security Chaos With Trump at 9/11 Game, Days After..

The team told fans to arrive three hours early without any bags.
May 3, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) controls the ball in the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets during game seven of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena.
September 11, 2025

Clippers Minority Owner Allegedly Invested in Aspiration to Pay Kawhi

Minority investor Dennis Wong allegedly invested in Aspiration as well.
Sponsored

How World Series Champ Dexter Fowler Became a Premier League Team Owner

Dexter Fowler discusses navigating retirement and embracing new roles as an owner & investor.
September 9, 2025

Clippers, Kawhi Leonard Draw New Scrutiny As More Details Emerge

The NBA has commenced an investigation.
September 8, 2025

Bears, Without State Funding, Officially Pivot Stadium to Suburbs

The NFL team formally abandons its plans for a downtown stadium.
Jul 14, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Valkyries fans acknowledge local basketball alumni during a time out against the Phoenix Mercury during the second quarter at Chase Center.
September 7, 2025

Valkyries Set WNBA Attendance Record in Inaugural Season

The Valkyries joined the WNBA as an expansion team this season.
Mar 28, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer leaves his court side seat after a game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center.
September 5, 2025

‘They Conned Me’: Ballmer Responds to Kawhi Leonard Allegations

Ballmer spoke on “SportsCenter” about the allegations he broke NBA rules.