The National Football League’s (NFL) regular-season viewership fell 2% in 2024.
Despite a slight decline in regular-season ratings during the 2024 season, the NFL recovered with 17.5 million viewers per game across all networks.
The NFL’s viewership decline in 2024 was influenced by the presidential election year, increased competition from other major events like the Presidential Debate and the Oscars, and so on.
NFL Is An Inextricable Part Of American Culture!
The NFL has never failed to enchant people with its iconic matches and athletes. Hence, the league has built a strong foundation that has withstood the test of time.
Moreover, the NFL commemorated its 104th year in 2024 with endless historic and epic matches, record-breaking scores, and memorable touchdowns.
Disorganized scheduling, inconsistent regulations, and significant financial struggles plagued its early years.
The NFL rose from humble beginnings as the American Professional Football Association (APFA) in 1920 to a global sports powerhouse in 1922.
Therefore, the league has forever altered the course of American history and popular culture.
The league has featured some of history’s greatest players, from Jim Brown and Joe Montana to Tom Brady and Jerry Rice. Their feats defined eras and established standards for excellence.
Thanks to the NFL, football is an inextricable part of American culture. Hence, the Super Bowl, the NFL championship game, has become an unofficial national holiday, drawing millions of fans and serving as a cultural symbol.
These traditions bring families, friends, and communities together.
Moreover, the NFL has changed throughout time, from rule changes that increase player safety to the introduction of technology like instant replay.
NFL’s Viewership Decline Is Attributed To Being A Presidential Election Year!
However, the NFL’s influence has gradually dwindled over time. In 2024, the league’s viewership declined by 2%, reaching an average of 17.5 million viewers per game across all broadcast networks.
During the 2023 season, the viewership increased to 7%, and the abrupt 2% drop in 2024 attracted much attention.
Nonetheless, the NFL remains the most-watched television in the United States, outperforming all other TV series and sports.
The league’s diminishing ratings may be due to shifting media consumption, player protests, safety concerns, oversaturation, political polarization, competitiveness with other sports, and the COVID-19 epidemic.
However, the primary rationale for the slight decline in NFL viewership in 2024 was that it was a presidential election year.
Historically, election years witnessed an acute downturn in NFL viewership, which returned after Election Day.
Despite this, the NFL continues to dominate, thanks to efforts to grow internationally, embrace streaming platforms, and entice younger fans.
Therefore, the NFL’s U.S. streaming partners include Paramount+, Peacock, ESPN+, Amazon, and Netflix, while DAZN serves the international market.
The league’s adaptability across platforms, including a notable 11% rise in Amazon’s Thursday Night Football broadcasts and a 38% increase in digital streaming on Peacock and NBCSports.com, underlined its unparalleled entertainment value.
Similarly, Netflix‘s NFL broadcast debut on Christmas drew more than 24 million viewers for its hallmark doubleheader.
Therefore, the NFL accounts for 70 of the top 100 most-viewed broadcasts.
Additionally, 13 of the top 15 most-watched broadcasts were NFL games, demonstrating the league’s overwhelming dominance in television ratings.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- NFL was established in Canton, Ohio, U.S., on September 17, 1920.
- The Green Bay Packers have won the most cumulative NFL championships.
- The New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers have won the most Super Bowls since the game’s inception.
