Current:Home > ScamsNFL averaged 21 million viewers per game for opening week, its highest on record -TruePath Finance
NFL averaged 21 million viewers per game for opening week, its highest on record
View
Date:2025-04-15 23:10:45
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The NFL averaged 21.0 million viewers per game during the league’s opening week, making it the most-watched Week 1 on record.
The league and Nielsen said Wednesday morning that the per-game average on TV and digital platforms was a 12% increase over last year.
All told, 123 million people saw at least part of one game, its highest total for an opening week since 2019.
“A great start with the viewership. It was great to be back and a lot to be excited about,” said Hans Schroeder, the executive vice president of NFL Media.
NBC had the most-watched game, with defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City’s 27-20 victory over Baltimore in last Thursday’s opener averaging 29.2 million on TV and digital. It was NBC’s second-largest regular season game since 2006, when it acquired the “Sunday Night Football” package. The Sunday night game between Detroit and the Los Angeles Rams, which the Lions won 26-20 in overtime, averaged 22.7 million, a 3% jump from last year.
Tom Brady’s first game as Fox’s top analyst — Dallas’ 33-17 win over Cleveland — averaged 23.93 million. The six games that were part of Fox’s doubleheader (four early, two late) averaged 18.64 million, making it the network’s best start since 2020.
This was the first time since 2020 that Fox solely had the Sunday afternoon doubleheader in Week 1. Both CBS and Fox carried two games apiece on the opening Sunday the past three seasons.
CBS averaged 17.79 million for its six games, its most watched Week 1 singleheader since it reacquired NFL rights in 1998. Most of CBS’ affiliates had games in the 1 p.m. EDT window, but New York, Chicago, Atlanta and Pittsburgh got Jim Harbaugh’s first game as coach of the Los Angeles Chargers against the Las Vegas Raiders at 4:05 p.m. EDT.
New York, Chicago, Atlanta and Pittsburgh could not air games in CBS’ early window because it is a league rule that no game is shown opposite the game of the local team.
Philadelphia’s 34-29 victory over Green Bay in the NFL’s first Friday night Week 1 game in 54 years averaged 14.0 million on Peacock and NBC affiliates in Philadelphia, Green Bay and Milwaukee. It was the second-most watched live event in Peacock’s four-year history, behind last season’s AFC wild card round game between Kansas City and Miami.
“I think the numbers even exceeded our expectations. Brazil was great and the game was an exciting one,” Schroeder said. “On a new night and window, I think that was a phenomenal start for us.”
“Monday Night Football” on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN+ averaged 20.4 million for San Francisco’s 32-19 win over the New York Jets despite most DirecTV customers not being able to receive it due to its carriage dispute with Disney (the only way they could watch it is if their ABC affiliate was not owned by Disney, which was not the case for DirecTV customers in New York and San Francisco).
The average was down from the 22.7 million for last year’s opener between the Jets and Buffalo.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
veryGood! (2588)
Related
- Could your smelly farts help science?
- Opening Day like no other: Orioles welcome new owner, chase World Series as tragedy envelops Baltimore
- Solar eclipse warnings pile up: Watch out for danger in the sky, on the ground on April 8
- ASTRO: Bitcoin has historically halved data
- Jamie Foxx reps say actor was hit in face by a glass at birthday dinner, needed stitches
- Maine lawmakers to consider late ‘red flag’ proposal after state’s deadliest shooting
- CLFCOIN Crossing over, next industry leader
- NOAA warns boaters to steer clear of 11 shipwrecks, including WWII minesweeper, in marine sanctuary east of Boston
- Tree trimmer dead after getting caught in wood chipper at Florida town hall
- 'Is it Cake?' Season 3: Cast, host, judges, release date, where to watch new episodes
Ranking
- IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power
- Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger's tight-fit shirts about accountability and team 'unity'
- Tish Cyrus Shares She's Dealing With Issues in Dominic Purcell Marriage
- A mostly male board will decide whether a Nebraska lawmaker faces censure for sexual harassment
- Realtor group picks top 10 housing hot spots for 2025: Did your city make the list?
- Family of dead Mizzou student Riley Strain requests second autopsy: Reports
- Carrie Underwood Divulges Her Fitness Tips and Simple Food Secret
- Run to Loungefly's Spring Sale for Up to 70% Off on Themed Merch from Disney, Harry Potter & More
Recommendation
Warm inflation data keep S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq under wraps before Fed meeting next week
U.S. midfielder Korbin Albert apologizes for sharing ‘insensitive and hurtful’ social media posts
For years she thought her son had died of an overdose. The police video changed all that
Video shows first Neuralink brain chip patient playing chess by moving cursor with thoughts
Megan Fox's ex Brian Austin Green tells Machine Gun Kelly to 'grow up'
NOAA warns boaters to steer clear of 11 shipwrecks, including WWII minesweeper, in marine sanctuary east of Boston
U.S. midfielder Korbin Albert apologizes for sharing ‘insensitive and hurtful’ social media posts
In 2019, there were hundreds of endangered earless dragons in Australia. This year, scientists counted just 11.