NFL Wild-Card Weekend Viewership Drops 9.3% From Last Year \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ NFL wild-card weekend viewership averaged 28.3 million, down 9.3% from last year’s 31.2 million. While Amazon Prime Video set a streaming record, traditional broadcasts, including Fox and NBC, experienced double-digit declines for marquee matchups. Despite the drop, playoff viewership remains strong, with CBS’s Sunday game matching last year’s numbers.
NFL Playoff Ratings Quick Looks:
- Overall Decline: Average viewership dropped to 28.3 million, a 9.3% year-over-year decrease.
- Prime Video Record: Baltimore-Pittsburgh game hit 22.07 million viewers, surpassing all previous Amazon NFL broadcasts.
- Top Game: Philadelphia-Green Bay on Fox led with 35.6 million viewers but fell 11% from last year.
- Mixed Results: CBS saw stable numbers, while ESPN and NBC posted double-digit declines.
- Streaming Growth: Streaming platforms continue to gain traction despite overall declines.
Deep Look
The NFL’s wild-card weekend, typically one of the most exciting periods of the season, experienced a notable 9.3% decline in average viewership compared to the previous year. Across television and digital platforms, the six games drew an average of 28.3 million viewers, down from 31.2 million in 2024. While streaming platforms showed growth and certain games held steady, marquee matchups on traditional networks posted significant drops, reflecting shifting audience behaviors and growing challenges for traditional broadcasts.
Saturday Games Provide Stability Amid Declines
The weekend began on a relatively stable note with Saturday’s games, which saw minor declines compared to other matchups. The day opened with Houston’s decisive 32-12 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on CBS, drawing 25.6 million viewers. This was just a 1% drop from last year’s Browns-Texans game aired on NBC.
Buffalo’s 31-7 blowout of Denver in the second game performed similarly, with 31.1 million viewers tuning in on CBS. Remarkably, this matched the audience for last year’s Steelers-Bills wild-card game, which was delayed to a Monday afternoon slot due to inclement weather.
Saturday’s relatively steady performance contrasted sharply with the declines seen in Sunday and Monday’s games, which bore the brunt of the weekend’s overall drop in viewership.
Sunday and Monday Games Struggle to Maintain Momentum
Sunday’s games, traditionally strong in audience draw, saw significant drops this year. Philadelphia’s 22-10 victory over Green Bay in the late afternoon slot on Fox was the most-watched game of the weekend, averaging 35.6 million viewers. Despite leading the ratings, this game marked an 11% decline from last year’s Packers-Cowboys matchup in the same time slot.
The evening game on NBC, Washington’s thrilling 23-20 comeback win over Tampa Bay, was the most competitive game of the weekend. Despite its nail-biting conclusion, the game drew 26.2 million viewers, down 19% compared to last year’s Rams-Lions contest.
Monday night saw similar declines. The Los Angeles Rams’ 27-9 rout of the Minnesota Vikings on ESPN and ABC averaged 25.3 million viewers, a 13% drop from last year’s Eagles-Buccaneers matchup in the same slot. The lopsided nature of the Rams-Vikings game may have contributed to lower engagement, as competitive games often retain larger audiences.
Prime Video Shines with Streaming Success
One of the weekend’s standout stories was Amazon Prime Video’s streaming success. Baltimore’s 28-14 victory over Pittsburgh averaged 22.07 million viewers on Prime, setting a record for the platform’s most-watched NFL game. This surpassed the previous record of 17.29 million viewers for the December 5 Detroit Lions-Green Bay Packers game.
While the game marked a milestone for Prime Video, it still represented a slight decline from last year’s Miami-Kansas City wild-card game on Peacock, which averaged 23 million viewers. This 3% drop suggests that while streaming platforms are gaining traction, they still face challenges in matching traditional broadcasts for high-profile games.
The Broader Context: Regular Season Trends
The decline in wild-card viewership aligns with broader trends observed during the NFL’s 2024 regular season. The league averaged 17.5 million viewers per game, a 2% drop from 2023. Despite the decline, this figure still ranks as the sixth-highest regular-season average dating back to 1995, underscoring the NFL’s enduring appeal.
Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football” package was a bright spot, posting an 11% year-over-year increase. However, ESPN and ABC’s “Monday Night Football” package saw a 14% decline, partly due to three fewer simulcasts on ABC compared to the previous year.
Analyzing the Decline: Contributing Factors
Several factors contributed to the 9.3% drop in wild-card weekend viewership:
- Streaming Integration: While platforms like Prime Video are growing, some viewers remain unaccustomed to streaming live sports. The transition from traditional broadcasts to digital platforms may have contributed to the slight decline in overall viewership.
- Lopsided Matchups: Blowout games, such as Buffalo’s 31-7 win over Denver and the Rams’ 27-9 victory over Minnesota, likely impacted audience retention. Close games, like Washington’s comeback win, traditionally attract larger audiences.
- Competing Entertainment Options: The availability of diverse entertainment options, including streaming platforms and on-demand content, has created more competition for live sports viewership.
- Shift in Audience Habits: As younger audiences increasingly consume content on digital platforms, traditional broadcasts face challenges in maintaining their dominance.
Looking Ahead: Challenges and Opportunities
The NFL’s wild-card weekend underscores the evolving landscape of sports broadcasting. While traditional viewership is declining, the growth of streaming platforms like Prime Video offers new opportunities to engage audiences. Amazon’s record-breaking numbers highlight the potential for digital platforms to play a central role in the future of live sports.
For networks like Fox, NBC, CBS, and ESPN, the challenge lies in balancing traditional and digital audiences. With streaming services becoming increasingly important, broadcasters must adapt to shifting consumption habits while ensuring they retain their core TV viewership.
The NFL, as the nation’s most-watched sports league, remains a powerhouse despite the declines. However, its ability to navigate the changing media landscape will be crucial to maintaining its dominance in the years to come.
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