Thursday December 7, 2023

NFL Remains King Despite Dip In Viewers for Regular Season

  • Game viewership down 2% to 16.7 million viewers.
  • But NFL games accounted for 88 of the Top 100 most-watched shows.
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Linkedin
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

The NFL suffered a slight decrease in television viewership for the 2022 regular season. But that was due mainly to turning “Thursday Night Football” into a streaming-only property. 

And “The Shield” continued to dominate the airwaves, generating 88 of the Top 100 most-watched TV shows during the calendar year.

Details on the NFL’s ‘22 regular season TV performance across media partners Amazon, ESPN, Fox Sports, NBC Sports, and CBS Sports:

NFL TV Partners Get Positive Returns on 2022 Season

The NFL is expected to share its data on Wednesday.
January 10, 2023
  • NFL regular season games averaged 16.7 million viewers this season. That’s down 2% from the 17.1 million average viewers during the 2021 season. But for the first time ever, the league went all-digital with one of its national game packages, streaming TNF exclusively on Amazon Prime Video (except for local TV markets) compared to a tricast across Fox, NFL Network, and Amazon last year.
  • To put the NFL’s regular season 16.7 million average in perspective, it topped the Oscars (16.6 million), NBA Finals (12.4 million), MLB World Series (11.8 million), Grammy Awards (8.9 million) and NHL’s Stanley Cup Finals (4.6 million). The league will kick off its Wild Card Weekend on Saturday – where viewership will be exponentially higher.

Amazon Delivers Younger Audience in First Season Broadcasting NFL

Amazon’s competitors hoped it would flop with ‘Thursday Night Football.’
January 10, 2023
  • How about those Dallas Cowboys? America’s Team played in four of the Top 5 most-watched regular season games. Fox’s broadcast of the Cowboys vs. New York Giants and CBS’ telecast of Buffalo Bills vs. Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day were the two most-watched games of the regular season. Cowboys-Giants averaged 42.1 million viewers, while Bills-Lions drew 31.9 million viewers. Four of the Top 5 most-watched games involved all NFC matchups. The Bills were the only AFC team to crack the Top 5.
  • 185 million people watched NFL games this season, according to the league. Since the kickoff of the regular season, NFL games generated 47 of the Top 50 telecasts. The only non-NFL telecasts to crack the Top 50 were the Ohio State-Georgia Peach Bowl College Football Playoff Semifinal (No. 26); Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (No. 27), and TCU-Michigan Fiesta Bowl CFP Semifinal (No. 30).
Linkedin
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

A Chicago Bears helmet.

Yet Another Proposal for A New Bears Stadium: The Parking Lot

Popular tailgating site becomes latest stadium site possibility for NFL team.

NWSL’s Record Media Deals Drive Schedule Expansion

The league will grow to a 26-match schedule in 2024.

Ex-Jags Employee Accused of Stealing $22M, Going on Massive Shopping Spree

Executive accused of using team funds to fund lavish personal lifestyle.
Jim Harbaugh

Jim Harbaugh Reportedly Eyes Five-Year Extension With Michigan

The Michigan coach is close to a $55 million contract. But the school wants written pledge he won't jump back to NFL.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

Why the NBA May Have Made Billions With Midseason Tournament

0:00
0:00

Featured Today

The College Football Playoff is considering rotating TV networks for the national championship game.

CFP Considers Super Bowl-Like Rotation For National Championship Game

Multiple networks could share rights to the championship game, sources told FOS.
Brett Favre
November 27, 2023

Favre Welfare Case Hold-Up? "AG’s Office Has Not Expressed Interest In Pursuing"

The DOJ interviewed Brett Favre in early 2020.
The future of the Pac-12 rests on a court decision.
November 24, 2023

The Pac-12 Plays Its Final Regular-Season Game. Then A Court Decides Its Fate.

The conference's future rests with a court decision.
Lane Kiffin
November 9, 2023

Ole Miss, Lane Kiffin Lawyers Argue for Dismissal of Player Lawsuit

FOS obtained audio of Lane Kiffin's interaction with the player behind lawsuit.

Careers

Powered By

Careers in Sports

Looking for a new job? Check out these featured listings and search for openings all over the world.
FanDuel
Multiple Locations
Adidas
Multiple Locations
Creative Artists Agency
Multiple Locations
Sports Illustrated
exclusive

‘The Amount of Useless Stuff You Guys Do Is Staggering.’ Inside a Shakeup at Sports Illustrated’s Publisher

The new owner of the company that operates SI made a jarring first impression Wednesday, warning his employees: 'No one is important.'
Eagles Niners
December 6, 2023

Eagles-49ers Achieves Fox's Highest Sunday Viewership of Season

Fox's broadcast of 49ers vs. Eagles pulls in 27.7M viewers.
December 6, 2023

NBA Viewers Like the In-Season Tourney. What About Broadcasters?

The NBA In-Season Tournament could attract new media partners.
Sponsored

NHL’s Chris Foster on Amplifying Content Distribution With Automation

Learn how the NHL is using WSC Sports to increase fan engagement.
ESPN Stephen A. Smith
December 5, 2023

Stephen A. Smith to ESPN: ‘I Want To Be Highest-Paid Talent’

With a No. 1 show, Stephen A. Smith wants to become number one in compensation.
December 5, 2023

Seminoles’ CFP Snub Opens New Front in Disney vs. Florida War

Florida lawmakers are already considering legislation to protest the College Football Playoff's exclusion of Florida State.
The Australia men's cricket team celebrating winning the 2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup.
December 4, 2023

Amazon Secures ICC Cricket Broadcast Media Rights in Australia

Prime Video will be Australia's exclusive home for ICC events through 2027.
English Premier League teams Leeds United and Brighton Hove & Albion in action during a match.
December 4, 2023

Premier League Reasserts Dominance With $8.5B Domestic Rights Deals

Deals achieve small rights fee increase for top European league.