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NFL Regular Season Averaged 18.7 Million Viewers, Best Since 1989

Nielsen’s new Big Data + Panel counts helped lift every rights holder heading into the playoffs.

Overview

  • Every weekly rights holder reported year-over-year gains, a trend aided by Nielsen’s Big Data + Panel methodology and expanded out-of-home measurement.
  • CBS led all packages with a record 21.25 million average, powered by ChiefsCowboys on Thanksgiving at 57.23 million, the most-watched regular-season game ever.
  • NBC’s Sunday Night Football delivered a record 23.5 million Total Audience Delivery and is on pace to finish as primetime’s top show for a 15th straight year.
  • Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football averaged 15.33 million, up 16% for its best streaming season, including 21.06 million on Christmas night.
  • Fox posted its best season since 2015 at 19.6 million while ESPN/ABC logged its second-best Monday Night Football average at 15.8 million, rising to 16.5 million including Week 18 Saturday games.