So it turns out an NFL opener featuring Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Travis Kelce (plus, by extension, Taylor Swift) did pretty well in the ratings department.
NBC announced Friday that the Kansas City Chief’s 27-20 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday drew an average of 28.9 million viewers between broadcast and streaming on Peacock, making it the most-watched NFL kickoff game ever.
The number broke a record set last year, when the Chiefs’ loss to the Detroit Lions drew 27.5 million.
Viewership Friday reportedly peaked at 33 million at one point in the second quarter. Peacock and rest of the game’s digital platforms also saw 4.6 million viewers, a 65% increase from last year’s 2.8 million.
The biggest markets: Kansas City (a 43.4 rating and 80 share), Baltimore (24.5/60) and Denver (18.0/50).
All of the above says what we already know. The NFL is a ratings juggernaut, almost singlehandedly defying the ratings downturns ravaging the television industry. Viewership has increased across the board basically every year in recent history and shows no signs of slowing down with superstars like Mahomes and Jackson picking up the torches left by Tom Brady and Peyton Manning (both of whom are doing their own part on broadcasts now).
The game itself was a thriller and not without controversies. The game was initially delayed by a thunderstorm in Kansas City, then began with touchdowns from both teams on their opening drives. Both defenses limited the scoring from there, and it all came down to the Ravens getting the ball down seven with two minutes remaining.
Jackson and co. reached the end zone, but one toe from tight end Isaiah Likely on the boundary line left them short of a potential game-tying, or game-winning, touchdown as time expired. If the NFL was hoping it could entice new viewers to keep watching, it’s hard to imagine a better game.
