The NFL's Triumphant Return: A Viewership Surge Across Platforms

The 2024 NFL season has been a resounding success, captivating audiences across the United States and beyond. The league's strategic distribution of games, coupled with the growing popularity of streaming platforms, has resulted in a remarkable surge in viewership, solidifying the NFL's position as a powerhouse in the world of sports entertainment.

Unlocking the Potential of Cross-Platform Viewing

The Rise of Prime Video and Peacock

The NFL's partnership with Prime Video has proven to be a game-changer, with a 12% increase in viewership on the platform during the month of September. This spike was largely driven by the popularity of Thursday Night Football, which has become a must-watch event for fans. Additionally, Peacock's exclusive coverage of the Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles matchup on September 6th further demonstrated the league's ability to attract viewers to its various broadcast partners.

The NFL's Global Expansion

The NFL's debut in São Paulo, Brazil, was a resounding success, garnering 2.6 billion viewing minutes and becoming the 11th most-streamed program in September. This milestone underscores the league's growing international appeal and its ability to captivate audiences beyond the borders of the United States.

Broadcast Dominance

The NFL's presence on traditional broadcast networks has also been a driving force behind the league's viewership surge. NFL games accounted for 14 of the top 15 broadcast telecasts in September, with the top three garnering over 3 billion viewing minutes each on NBC, CBS, and Fox. This dominance on the broadcast side has been a significant contributor to the overall growth in sports viewing, which saw a nearly 9% increase compared to August, despite already coming off a 44% increase the previous month due to the surge from the Olympics.

Streaming's Continued Ascent

While streaming maintained its 41% share of TV in September, the platform's growth has been uneven. Prime Video exhibited the largest monthly growth among all reported streaming platforms, driven by the success of Thursday Night Football and the highly anticipated original series "The Rings of Power." Disney+, on the other hand, saw a 5.2% bump in viewership, partially due to the availability of Hulu content for package subscribers, as well as the strong performance of the animated series "Bluey."

The Roku Channel's Meteoric Rise

The Roku Channel has emerged as a standout performer in the streaming landscape, with viewership growing 42% compared to last September. This remarkable growth underscores the platform's ability to attract and retain viewers, further solidifying its position as a key player in the ever-evolving streaming ecosystem.

Broadcast and Cable Dynamics

The broadcast category gained 0.6 share points in September, accounting for 22.6% of overall TV viewership. This boost was largely driven by the surge in NFL programming, as well as an 11% uptick in broadcast drama viewing following the seasonal debuts of several scripted series. On the cable side, viewership declined slightly, accounting for 26.1% of overall TV, a 0.2 share point drop from August. This decline was partially attributed to the high volume of sports and news content provided by the Olympics and the Democratic National Convention the previous month.The NFL's triumphant return has undoubtedly been a highlight of the 2024 television landscape, captivating audiences across a diverse range of platforms and showcasing the league's ability to adapt to the evolving media landscape. As the season progresses, the NFL's continued success will undoubtedly shape the future of sports entertainment, setting the stage for even greater achievements in the years to come.