An extended offseason has successfully hyped the opening game of the 2020 NFL season featuring the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs against the Houston Texans.
According to NBC, the opening game averaged 20.3 million viewers across all platforms, based on preliminary numbers. Of that amount, 970,000 watched the game through digital means, the highest ever for a non-Super Bowl and a 55-percent increase over last year’s 627,000 for the season opener.
The numbers would have been even better if the Chiefs were pitted against a much-more anticipated team like the Dallas Cowboys or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The ratings were also considerably high despite the kick-off game coinciding with the schedule of the NBA and NHL playoff games.
As a result, this year's opening game numbers took a 12.3% dip from last year’s Packers-Bears showdown to start the 100th NFL season. The old-school rivalry garnered a total audience delivery of up to 22.7 million viewers which was a 16% jump over the 2018 season opener.
With everything that is happening in society, the NFL's opening game viewership tally was already considered as a win for the league. Amidst encountering racism issues and battling the dreaded coronavirus pandemic, football fans still tuned in to watch their favorite sport be back on their television screens.
Despite who is playing on the field, everyone is just happy to see some excitement and action back on the gridiron. The NFL will continue to be a staple in every American home and should preview an exciting 2020 season looming on the horizon.
Follow Us
Subscribe