The average digital audience for week two of the THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL game across Twitter, NFL Mobile from Verizon, Watch NFL Network, NFL Game Pass (International) and authenticated users on CBS Digital platforms was 398,000. That was 15.4 million viewers per average minute viewing. In total, all digital properties showing THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL reached 2.5 million viewers.
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As CBS reported, Sunday afternoon and night games air on CBS, Fox and NBC, and may not be available online, but are free via local broadcast television.
Experts and observers say there’s good news for the league, the networks and everyone depending on them, though: the league’s viewership is likely still healthy. That might have been a big draw – but Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning retired after the Super Bowl, and his replacement this year is Trevor Siemian, who was drafted in the seventh round in 2015, and whose only appearance in a game last year involved him taking a knee to end a half. Now Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots look to climb to a 3-0 record for the season as they prepare to play on their home field. And Monday night’s Falcons-Saints game goes head-to-head with the long awaited first presidential debate.
With one eye on 2022, when its current major rights contracts are up for renewal, the National Football League also knows that if viewers, sponsors and the major digital players see enough in Twitter’s coverage to get excited about, further riches will surely follow. That, of course, would include Yahoo!, whose offer of US$17 million for this season’s ten-game TNF package was turned down in favour of Twitter’s lesser bid of US$10 million, and Amazon, which is said to be on the prowl for a whole host of sports streaming rights.
Thursday Night Football ratings were up when the New England Patriots defeated the Houston Texans this week.
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That slight uptick in total viewers is nothing to tweet-storm about, but in terms of average viewership-which is what typical TV ratings are based on-the second week blew away the first. But NBC, which airs Sunday Night Football, has experienced a 12% decline from previous year.
