%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20id%3D%22Layer_1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20width%3D%2239px%22%20height%3D%2240px%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%2039%2040%22%20enable-background%3D%22new%200%200%2039%2040%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cpath%20fill%3D%22%23FFFFFF%22%20d%3D%22M38.5%2C7H28.2v26h10.3V7z%22%2F%3E%0A%3Cpath%20fill-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20clip-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20fill%3D%22%23FFFFFF%22%20d%3D%22M26.1%2C25.5c0%2C5.8-4.1%2C7.5-12.9%2C7.5C3.9%2C33%2C0%2C31.2%2C0%2C25.2v-1.1h11.6%0A%09v2.4c0%2C0.7%2C0.1%2C1.4%2C1.2%2C1.4c1%2C0%2C1.2-0.4%2C1.2-1.3v-0.9c0-1.6-0.9-1.6-3.5-2.2C2.2%2C21.7%2C0%2C19.7%2C0%2C15.3v-0.9C0%2C9.3%2C5.5%2C7%2C12.9%2C7%0A%09c10.2%2C0%2C12.8%2C2.6%2C12.8%2C7.4v1.8h-11v-2.9c0-0.6-0.4-1.1-1.2-1.1c-0.6%2C0-1.2%2C0.4-1.2%2C1.1v0.9c0%2C1.5%2C0.9%2C2%2C3.3%2C2.5%0A%09c8%2C1.6%2C10.5%2C3.3%2C10.5%2C7.5V25.5z%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
NFL Suffered Surprising Ratings Drop During 2024 Season
The NFL is still dominating the television landscape, but did see some regression during the 2024 season.
Front Office Sports is reporting the league averaged 17.5 million viewers per game across all of its broadcast networks. That is a massive number but actually a 2% decrease from the 2023 campaign. Last season the league saw a 7% increase in viewership that rose to 17.9 million viewers per game, so 2024's numbers are still above those from 2022.
The numbers for the 2024 campaign were still far above any other programming in domestic television, sports or not.
Amazon posted an 11% increase year-over-year to post an average of 13.2 million viewers for its Thursday Night Football offerings. Including its Black Friday game, those numbers jump to a 13% increase.
NBC's Sunday Night Football averaged 21.6 million viewers which was actually up 1% from 2023. Meanwhile, SNF's digital audience on Peacock and NBCSports.com was up 38% from 2023 to average 2.2 million per game.
ESPN saw its second-best season in 24 years of airing Monday Night Football this year, as the network averaged 15 million viewers for all of its NFL games. That number is down 14% from 2023, which has proven to be a huge outlier. However, many MNF games were simulcast on ABC in '23, helping account for last season's large number.
Fox's broadcasts averaged 18.4 million for all of its NFL games, which was down 3%. The network's "America's Game of the Week" led all NFL broadcasts with an average of 23.9 million viewers, which was also down 3%. For the 31st straight season, Fox NFL Sunday was the most-watched pregame show.
Netflix made its NFL broadcast debut on Christmas and averaged more than 24 million for its signature doubleheader.
CBS has not disclosed its season-ending viewership data, but according to FOS the network ended the year down 1% at an average of 19.2 million per game.
Overall the league claimed 70 of the top 100 broadcasts in the United States for 2024.
More of the Latest Around the NFL
feed
Ryan Phillips is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in digital media since 2009, spending eight years at The Big Lead before joining SI in 2024. Phillips also co-hosts The Assembly Call Podcast about Indiana Hoosiers basketball and previously worked at Bleacher Report. He is a proud San Diego native and a graduate of Indiana University’s journalism program.