Are NFL Viewership Numbers Inflated by Peacock Game?

NFL viewership for the 2024 season has shown promising numbers as the league heads into Week 3 of the regular season. The average viewership for all NFL games has seen an increase compared to the same period last season. Through the first two weeks of action, the average viewership stands at 18.7 million, marking an 8% rise from the previous year.

One notable event that contributed to this season’s viewership figures was the league’s debut game in Brazil. The game between the Eagles and the Packers, which took place on a rare Friday night in Week 1 and was exclusively streamed on Peacock, drew a significant audience of 14.2 million viewers in prime time. This unique matchup has been excluded from the NFL’s viewership reports due to the absence of a comparable game window from previous seasons.

Excluding the Peacock-streamed game, NFL broadcasts have been averaging 19.7 million viewers, reflecting a 12% increase compared to last season. This marks the second-highest viewership on record through the first two weeks of the season. The positive trend in NFL viewership at the start of the season indicates an increase of either 8% or 12%, depending on how the data is interpreted. As the season progresses, the impact of the Peacock stream on overall NFL viewership numbers is expected to diminish.

In terms of standout games in the early part of the season, the Kansas City Chiefs have continued to capture the attention of viewers. Following their record-breaking NFL kickoff game against the Ravens, which attracted 28.9 million viewers on NBC, the Chiefs secured another impressive audience of 27.9 million for their last-second victory over the Bengals in Week 2, making it CBS’s most-watched September NFL game since 1998.

Looking ahead to Week 3, the spotlight shifts to key matchups featuring star players and teams. The New York Jets, led by Aaron Rodgers, will host the Patriots in one of six prime-time contests scheduled in the first 11 weeks of the season. Additionally, Tom Brady and the Cowboys will face off against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens in a highly anticipated game that is expected to draw strong TV viewership. The Chiefs will also be in action again, this time against the Falcons on Sunday night, with the added intrigue of a possible appearance by Taylor Swift at the game.