"When the final viewership data became available for the NFL's three Thanksgiving games this season, the numbers were so staggering that an impromptu conference call among the involved networks' chief sports honchos was called to essentially bask in the success. I'd never realized back-slapping was possible over a phone call until then. There was no such collective CEO celebration this week when the NFL's final 2025 viewership numbers were released by Nielsen Media Research on Tuesday and Wednesday."
"It should be noted that Nielsen adjusted the way it tracks viewership this year, including an expanded measure of out-of-home viewing, such as bars and restaurants, and what is called "Big Data + Panel" methodology, which provides a combination of specific and broad information on viewers' habits. That more modern approach has affected viewership data positively, but the NFL numbers are massive by any measure."
NFL broadcasts averaged 18.7 million viewers in 2025 across all games aired or streamed by weekly broadcast partners, a 10 percent increase from the prior year and the second-highest average on record. Nielsen changed measurement methods to include expanded out-of-home viewing and a "Big Data + Panel" approach, which boosted measured totals. Of the 100 most-watched programs in 2025, 89 were NFL games. Every NFL rights partner — NBC, CBS, Fox, ESPN, and Amazon — saw audience growth. "Sunday Night Football" averaged 23.5 million viewers and remained the No. 1 prime-time program for a record 15th straight year.
Read at Boston.com
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