NFL Games Made Up 93% Of The Most Watched TV Programs In 2023

The NFL’s new 11-year media rights agreement with its television partners kicked-in last year. Under the contract, NBC, CBS, Fox
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and ABC/ESPN will, on average, pay an increase of 80% for the rights to televise/stream NFL games. Nielsen’s annual ranking of the 100 most watched programs in 2023, found the broadcast networks may have wound up with a bargain.

More Americans watched NFL games on TV in 2023 than any other programming, accounting for 93 of the 100 highest rated shows. The dominance of the NFL with viewers is continuing. Anthony Crupi of Sportico notes in 2022, the NFL accounted for 82 of the top 100 telecasts. In 2021 the NFL had 75 of the top 100 shows and had numbered 72 in 2020. In addition, Sports Media Watch notes, for the 2023 regular season, the NFL had 17 games surpassing 25 million viewers, compared to nine in 2022.

At a time when the audience for linear television continues to erode, the NFL remains an outlier. Heading into the final weeks of the 2023 regular season, NFL games on TV/digital platforms have averaged 17.5 million viewers, a year-over-year increase of 8%. (Early morning international games are excluded.)

With the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes delaying the start of the broadcast season, NFL primetime games benefited. With a lack of original content ESPN’s Monday Night Football were simulcast on ABC. Subsequently, “MNF” ratings grew year-over-year by 24%. Also, with an average audience of 21.8 million, NBC’s Sunday Night Football is on track to have its highest audience delivery since 2015.

Moreover, Amazon’s
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second season of Thursday Night Football has also generated strong ratings growth. In 2023, Amazon averaged 11.9 million viewers, an increase of 24% from 2022. For the 2023 season, Thursday Night Football reported 13 weeks of year-over-year percent double-digit viewership increases. Furthermore, the audience delivery of all 15 “TNF” games was greater than every broadcast and cable program that evening.

To no one’s surprise, dominating the top-rated programs of 2023 were NFL postseason games. Super Bowl LVII on Fox became the most watched program ever with an average audience of 115.1 million viewers. As in previous years, the next two highest rated shows were the AFC (53.1 million) and NFC (47.5 million) conference championship games. Collectively, of the 20 most watched programs of the year were NFL games, 11 of them were in the postseason.

Regular season holiday games were especially strong. The tripleheaders of NFL games on Thanksgiving and Christmas all ranked among the most watched games of 2023.

Collectively, the three Thanksgiving Day games averaged a record high 34.1 million viewers (TV and digital). Also, the total unduplicated audience across all three games was 133 million, the second best after last season. The late Thanksgiving Day game on CBS averaged 41.8 million viewers, fifth highest in 2023 and the second most watched NFL regular season game ever after last season’s Thanksgiving game. The early afternoon Thanksgiving game on Fox averaged 33.7 million viewers, seventh highest, the most-watched early Thanksgiving Day game to date. NBC’s primetime Thanksgiving game averaged 27.6 million viewers, 19^th highest, the highest prime-time Thanksgiving game since 2015.

This year, the three NFL Christmas Day games (on Monday) averaged 28.7 million viewers, a 29% increase from 2022, all ranked among the most watched regular season games. The early afternoon Christmas Day game on CBS averaged 29.5 million viewers, ranking 14^th in 2023 and was the most watched Christmas Day game in 34 years. The late afternoon Christmas game on Fox averaged 29.0 million viewers, ranking 15^th. The primetime Christmas game aired on ABC and averaged 27.6 million viewers, ranking 19^th. It was also the second-most-watched Monday Night Football game since 1996. With Christmas falling on Wednesday in 2024, the NFL has announced they will not be scheduling any games this year.

The most watched non-NFL games in 2023 was the annual State of the Union address. The news event is available on a number of broadcast, cable and digital outlets. In 2023, the primetime State of Union averaged 27.3 million viewers, making it the second least watched Presidential address over the past 30 years. It was also a drop-off 28% from the 2022 State of the Union address which averaged 38.2 million viewers. Nonetheless, it ranked as the 21^st most watched telecast of last year.

The 45^th top rated program of the year was the 97^th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. (Making it four Thanksgiving Day telecasts ranked among the 45 most watched programs of the year.) This year, the 3½ hour linear TV telecast on NBC, generated 22.3 million viewers.

The top-rated college football game was the storied Big Ten rivalry Ohio State and Michigan. With both schools undefeated and nationally ranked, the game played on Thanksgiving weekend on Fox. averaged 19.1 million viewers, the most watched regular season college football game since 2011 and ranked 58^th in 2023.

The 60^th most watched telecast was the 95^th annual Academy Awards on ABC. The Oscar telecast, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, averaged 18.8 million viewers, a year-over-year increase of 13%. The SEC Championship college football game in December averaged 17.5 million viewers on CBS and came in at #71. The most watched SEC championship game since 2009. (It’s also the last time CBS will be televising the game.)

The 2022 SEC championship averaged 10.9 million viewers. The college football championship game played last January and aired on ESPN averaged 17.2 million viewers ranking 74th. With the game a blowout, it was the lowest rated college football championship to date. The only other top ranked non-NFL game in 2023 was the Super Bowl LVII lead-out program Next Level Chef on Fox. Ranking 94^th overall, the culinary competition program averaged 15.7 million viewers.

With football games (NFL and college) accounting for 96 programs in the top 100 last year, Sportico looked at how a few other televised sporting events stacked up in 2023. A mainstay in the 100 programs has been the NCAA Men’s Basketball Finals. This year, the game on CBS averaged 14.7 million viewers, the lowest to date and ranked #101. The linear TV audience for the 149^th running of the Kentucky Derby, on NBC, averaged 14.4 million viewers ranking #106.

The fifth and final game of the 2003 NBA Finals on ABC averaged 13.1 million viewers ranking #120. The final round of The Masters on CBS averaged 12.1 million viewers ranked #131. Overall, the ratings for 2023 World Series were the lowest to date, the deciding Game 5 of the Fall Classic averaged 11.5 million viewers ranking #140.

Looking at the audience delivery of non-sporting events, Sportico reported the season premiere of 60 Minutes was the top-rated non-sporting event of 2023 and ranked only 136. The most watched scripted entertainment program of 2023 was a rerun of the first Yellowstone episode on CBS, which averaged 6.8 million viewers ranking out the top 200.

Next year the NFL may not be as dominant, with 2024 a Presidential election year, NFL ratings have, in the past, dropped prior to Election Day. There will be such political televised events as conventions, debates and Election night returns which in the past has generated strong viewer interest. There could also be high-profile court cases involving former President Donald Trump. Also, the Paris Summer Olympics will be televised on NBCU over 17 days.