NFL regular season games averaged 17.9 million viewers in 2023, tied for the second-highest since averages were first tracked in 1995.
Driven by increases of at least 24% in two of the five packages, the first year of the league's new television contracts saw a total increase of 7% over last season.
The highest average recorded is 18.1 million from the 2015 season.
Hans Schroeder, the league's executive vice president of media distribution, pointed to the number of teams still alive for the postseason heading into the final two weeks along with close games throughout the 18-week regular season. Of the 272 games, 113 were decided by six points or less, the second most in league history.
In the last two seasons, 55.8% of the games have been within one score (eight points).
“It all starts on the field. We looked at the number of close games, as well as the number of young stars like CJ Stroud and old stars like Matthew Stafford who probably didn't get enough coverage,” Schroeder said. “If you look at that and combine it with the first year of these new TV packages and some of the flexibility that they had, I think that's why the numbers are where they are this year.”
Four of the five broadcast and streaming networks saw increases in their overall packages.
'Monday night' milestone
“Monday Night Football,” the NFL's original primetime package, had its best season since 2000, averaging 17.36 million viewers across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC for a whopping 29% increase.
With no new original fall programming due to strikes by Hollywood writers and actors, ABC aired games over all 18 weeks of the regular season (11 more compared to 2022) instead of just nine over eight weeks as originally established when it was launched. announced the schedule in early May.
Next season, ABC is expected to again carry at least two Monday night simulcasts with ESPN, three exclusive MNF games when there are doubleheaders and the two Week 18 contests on Saturday.
Overall, it was the best season since the package moved to ESPN in 2006 and the most-watched season in 23 years.
The four most-watched games since 2000 all occurred this season. The Nov. 20 game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs, a rematch of Super Bowl LVII, averaged 29.03 million, followed by the Ravens at the 49ers on Dec. 25 (27.65 million), the Lions at the Cowboys on December 30 (26.11 million) and Bills on Jets (22.67 million).
Big profits on Thursday night
According to Nielsen figures, the 16-game “Thursday Night Football” package on Amazon Prime Video averaged 11.86 million viewers, a 24% increase from last year's inaugural season. All but three weeks saw double-digit increases over 2022.
The average age of Prime Video's audience was 48.5 years old, 6.9 years younger than the average age of viewers watching the NFL on Sunday (55.4).
Two games had more than 15 million viewers: the Nov. 30 matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and Cowboys (15.3 million) and Prime Video's first game on Sept. 14 when the Eagles hosted the Minnesota Vikings (15 .1 million). The most watched game in 2022 was the first game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Chiefs (13.0 million).
In total, 12 games averaged more than 10 million, double that of 2022.
Boost for CBS
CBS averaged 19.35 million, its most-watched regular season since professional football returned to the network in 1998 and a 5% increase from 2022.
Sunday's 10-game domestic windows at 4:25 p.m. ET averaged 24.64 million, a 4.7% increase from last year's 23.50 million.
The Thanksgiving Day game between the Washington Commanders and the Cowboys was the most-watched regular-season game on any network, averaging 41.76 million.
CBS will broadcast Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas on February 11.
'Sunday night' lights
NBC's “Sunday Night Football” package averaged 21.4 million, its best audience since 2015 and an 8% increase from last year.
The package had six games averaging at least 25 million, tying the mark set in 2013. The top game was the Sept. 7 opener between the Lions and Chiefs, which drew 27.5 million.
Fox Season 30
Fox saw a 2% drop in its total number (19.42 million), but the late window was up 2% (24.62 million). That's the best performance for the 4:25 p.m. ET games since 2015 despite losses in seven of the 10 dates.
The Thanksgiving Day game between the Green Bay Packers and the Lions was the most watched, with an average of 33.7 million.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
