NFL Thanksgiving Games Break Viewership Records
America feasted on NFL football this past Thanksgiving, with several viewing records being set on the holiday. The most notable record was the most-watched regular season NFL game in history, with the CBS telecast of the Dallas Cowboys’ 31-28 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs drawing in 57.2 million viewers, according to Nielsen data. This significant viewership milestone surpasses the 42 million viewers who watched the Cowboys’ meeting with the New York Giants on Fox in 2022.
Record-Breaking Viewership Across Multiple Games
Fox also saw a new high for the holiday’s early game between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers, with the 31-24 win by the Packers in the NFC North showdown having an average audience of 47.1 million viewers. Additionally, NBC’s prime-time game, which featured the return of quarterback Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals’ 32-14 upset victory over the Baltimore Ravens, is expected to release its viewership data this Thursday. The NFL’s strong performance can be attributed, in part, to the change in Nielsen’s audience measurement methodology, which now includes viewing on digital devices and internet-connected televisions, as well as out-of-home viewing, particularly strong for live sports.
NFL Viewership Trends and Media Rights
Before the Thanksgiving weekend, NFL telecasts were averaging 17.7 million viewers, up 6% from last year and the highest level since 2015. “Thursday Night Football,” which is streamed on Prime Video, is averaging 14.85 million, a 12% increase. The NFL’s dominance in viewership is further emphasized by the fact that, since the start of the current season, NFL programs account for 48 of the 50 most-watched TV programs, according to Nielsen. This strong performance helps build the case for the NFL to reopen its media rights deal with the networks and streaming platforms carrying its games, with the league having an option to opt out of the current 11-year deal after the 2029-30 season. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has expressed an interest in renegotiating sooner, with the current contract paying the league $111 billion over its term.
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