NFL's First Exclusively Streamed Playoff Game Sets Record on Peacock

Despite Controversy, Chiefs-Dolphins Game Attracts Millions of Viewers

The Kansas City Chiefs vs. Miami Dolphins NFL playoff game was the first in league history to be exclusively available through a streaming service, Peacock, NBC's platform. The game was only available on local NBC stations in Kansas City and Miami.
Peacock, which has 30 million subscribers, paid the NFL an estimated $110 million for exclusive rights to the game. The move was part of NBCUniversal's strategy to grow its streaming service, which also includes live sports, movies, and TV series.
The decision to stream the game exclusively on Peacock was met with criticism from fans and pundits, with some calling it 'greedy' and 'insane'. Despite the backlash, the game attracted a significant number of viewers, with some reports suggesting it could top 20 million.
Streaming services are increasingly encroaching on traditional broadcast and cable networks' audiences. The NFL has previously experimented with streaming games on Amazon Prime and expects digital platforms to play a significant role in the future of sports broadcasting.
Despite the controversy, the game set a record for the most-watched event on a streaming service, averaging 23 million viewers on Peacock, NFL+, and on NBC affiliates in Kansas City and Miami. The game also had a total reach of 27.6 million.