Overview

• Nielsen’s newly accredited hybrid system merges its people panel with smart‑TV and set‑top box data across roughly 45 million homes and 75 million devices, with select first‑party streaming inputs where agreements exist.
• As of Sept. 1, networks’ public claims must use Big Data + Panel, with preliminary estimates permitted for timelier reporting on single‑day events before final counts arrive.
• Industry executives expect measured live‑sports audiences to rise by about 5%–10%, with early signals including a 17% preseason lift and projections of roughly one million additional viewers per NFL game.
• The NFL says it strongly supports the move yet argues Nielsen still undercounts co‑viewing on tentpole events such as the Super Bowl, where the league disputes a 2.4 co‑viewing factor and believes a higher figure could add 15–20 million viewers.
• While Nielsen remains the only big‑data provider with Media Rating Council accreditation, the NFL is testing alternatives like VideoAmp, which some networks have piloted despite lacking accreditation.