NFL Television Ratings Rose 5% in 2018
Television ratings for the NFL rose 5% from 2017 to 2018, the league announced Wednesday.
Average viewership for NFL games averaged 15.8 million viewers during the 2018 regular season, excluding London broadcasts. Additionally, average digital streaming viewership for all games was up 86% from last year.
The NFL dominated television viewership, claiming 46 of the top 50 telecasts during the regular season. The most-viewed game of the campaign was the Week 12 matchup between the Reskins and Cowboys on Thanksgiving, which drew 30.5 million viewers.
The NFL particularly shined during its primetime broadcasts this past season.
Thursday Night Football broadcasts averaged 14.9 million viewers, an uptick of 4% from last year's reported viewership. Sunday Night Football averaged 19.3 million viewers, which marked an increase of 6%. Monday Night Football broadcasts garnered 11.6 million viewers, signaling an 8% growth from 2017.
The NFL also saw its viewership during Sunday afternoon games also improve. FOX averaged 18 million viewers during its broadcasts, marking a 2% increase. Meanwhile, CBS averaged 16.5 million viewers, which was up 6% from last year's average.
