Chiefs-Cowboys set NFL regular season game viewing record on Thanksgiving
-
Click here to listen to this article - Share via
See more from the L.A. Times in Google Search. Set us as preferred
America feasted on NFL football this past Thanksgiving.
Several viewing records were set Thursday, including the most-watched regular season NFL game in history. The CBS telecast of the Dallas Cowboys’ 31-28 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs was watched by 57.2 million viewers, according to Nielsen data.
The number blew past the 42 million viewers who watched the Cowboys meeting with the New York Giants, the Thanksgiving game that aired on Fox in 2022.
The sports media behemoth ESPN will take control of the NFL channels Red Zone and NFL Network in a deal that gives the league an equity stake.
Fox also saw a new high for the holiday’s early game between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers. The 31-24 win by the Packers in the NFC North showdown had an average audience of 47.1 million viewers.
Data for NBC’s prime time game, which featured the return of quarterback Joe Burrow, who led the Cincinnati Bengals to a 32-14 upset victory over the Baltimore Ravens, will be released this Thursday.
The NFL has benefited from the change in Nielsen’s audience measurement methodology, which now includes viewing on digital devices and internet connected televisions. The data also includes out-of-home viewing, which is particularly strong for live sports.
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.
From a relative strength standpoint, the NFL is dominant. Since the start of the current season, NFL programs account for 48 of the 50 most watched TV programs, according to Nielsen.
The strong performance helps build the case for the NFL to reopen its media rights deal with the networks and streaming platforms carrying its games.
The league has 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.
The contract currently pays the league $111 billion over its term.
