This Thanksgiving, America enjoyed NFL football.
Several viewership records were set Thursday, including the most-watched regular season game in NFL history. The Dallas Cowboys’ 31-28 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs was watched by 57.2 million viewers on CBS, according to Nielsen data.
That number exceeded the 42 million viewers who watched the Thanksgiving game between the Cowboys and New York Giants on FOX in 2022.
Fox also hit a new high in the early-holiday game between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers. The Packers’ 31-24 victory in the NFC North game averaged 47.1 million viewers.
Data from NBC’s primetime game, which featured the return of quarterback Joe Burrow who led the Cincinnati Bengals to a 32-14 upset victory over the Baltimore Ravens, is expected to be released this Thursday.
The NFL has benefited from changes to Nielsen’s audience measurement methodology, which now includes viewing on digital devices and internet-connected TVs. This data also includes outdoor viewing, especially for live sports.
Before Thanksgiving weekend, NFL telecasts averaged 17.7 million viewers, up 6% from last year and the highest level since 2015. Streaming on Prime Video averaged 14.85 million viewers, an increase of 12%.
From a relative strength perspective, the NFL has the upper hand. Since the start of this season, NFL programs account for 48 of the 50 most-watched TV shows, according to Nielsen.
This strong performance helps lay the groundwork for the NFL to resume media rights deals with networks and streaming platforms that broadcast games.
The league has an option to opt out with current NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who has expressed interest in early renegotiation.
The deal currently pays the league $111 billion over its term.
