So it turns out that an NFL opener featuring Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Travis Kelce (and by extension Taylor Swift) did pretty well in the ratings.
NBC announced Friday that the Kansas City Chiefs’ 27-20 victory 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 of all time.
The figure surpassed last year’s record, when the Chiefs’ loss to the Detroit Lions attracted 27.5 million viewers.
Viewership reportedly peaked at 33 million at one point on Thursday in the second quarter. Peacock and the game’s other digital platforms also saw 4.6 million viewers, up 65% from last year’s 2.8 million.
The largest markets: Kansas City (rating 43.4 and share 80), Baltimore (24.5/60) and Denver (18.0/50).
All of the above says what we already know. The NFL is a ratings juggernaut that is almost single-handedly defying the slumps in the television industry. Viewership has increased across the board virtually every year in recent memory, and there are no signs of slowing down as superstars like Mahomes and Jackson carry the torches of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning (both of whom now contribute their own share to the broadcasts).
The game itself was exciting and not without controversy. The game was initially delayed by a thunderstorm in Kansas City, but then started with both teams scoring touchdowns on their opening drives. From there, both defenses limited the scoring, and it all came down to the Ravens getting the ball back seven points with two minutes left.
Jackson and Co. reached the end zone, but a toe from tight end Isaiah Likely at the perimeter prevented the Ravens from missing a potential touchdown to tie or win as time expired. If the NFL was hoping to attract new viewers, it’s hard to imagine a better game.
