Sports Broadcasts Thrive: How the NFL Leads in an Evolving Media Landscape
Sports broadcasts, particularly the NFL, remain one of the most effective ways to capture a massive audience across platforms. According to Nielsen, NFL broadcasts averaged 17.9 million viewers in 2023. This marks the second-highest season viewership in the past 16 years, only slightly behind the 2015 season, which averaged 18.1 million viewers.
Traditional linear television continues to deliver strong reach, with the NFL accounting for 93 of the top 100 programs in 2023. The remaining programs included College Football, the Academy Awards, the Thanksgiving Parade, and political broadcasts. These events stand out as modern “appointment TV,” drawing significant audiences due to their unique and time-sensitive nature. In contrast, other genres face a fragmented landscape with countless viewing options. Even before the shift to streaming accelerated in 2020 and 2021, NFL broadcasts comprised over 70% of the top 100 programs. NFL has always been dominant, but previously shared the top 100 with more programs than it does now.
However, streaming is becoming an increasingly larger player in sports viewership. In 2023, two NFL games broadcast on Amazon Prime Video ranked in the top 100, coming in at numbers 97 and 99, with viewership around 7 million for each game.
The landscape may shift further as more sports content becomes available on streaming platforms and we may see some shakeups when 2024 top programming is released. Peacock made headlines by broadcasting an AFC Wild Card game in January 2024. The Dolphins-Chiefs matchup averaged 23 million viewers, outperforming the previous year’s Saturday prime-time wildcard game by 6%. This viewership would have ranked the game around 40th in the 2023 top broadcasts. Peacock also drew 14 million viewers for a September 2024 Packers-Eagles game.
Amazon Prime Video continues to grow its presence in live sports. The 2024 Black Friday matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Las Vegas Raiders attracted 13.5 million viewers, further cementing streaming’s role in sports broadcasting.
Netflix is entering the live sports space with two NFL games scheduled for Christmas Day. Given the significant viewership for the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight on the platform, these games are likely to draw strong numbers – and benefit from improved production quality.
Despite an evolving media landscape and the rapid rise of streaming, the NFL remains a strong franchise on broadcast television, consistently delivering high reach. As streaming platforms expand their live sports offerings, including high-profile events like NFL games, the shift is undeniable. The future will likely see even more NFL and other major sports programming migrating to streaming providers, ensuring that sports maintain their role as a cornerstone of live entertainment.
As traditional TV and streaming continue to converge, the NFL is poised to thrive across both platforms, adapting to the changing viewing habits of its audience.
Sources: Nielsen, Sportico
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