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The NFL's 2024 season, after a strong start in September, is seeing a dip in TV ratings, with Week 6 suffering a notable decline. As football fans brace for an exciting Week 7 featuring marquee matchups, the league is grappling with a drop in viewership, especially after key teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys underperformed or took the week off.
The NFL's Early Season Surge Cools Down
For the first five weeks of the NFL's regular season, game broadcasts averaged 17.5 million viewers, marking a 1% increase compared to the same period in 2023. This uptick in September hinted at another blockbuster season for the league. However, as October rolled around and Week 6 unfolded, those numbers started to decline. Factors such as the absence of the Chiefs and a poor showing by the Cowboys contributed to this downturn.
How Week 6 Played Out
The Chiefs, led by Patrick Mahomes, have become one of the NFL’s biggest TV draws in recent years. Their absence in Week 6 due to a bye, combined with the Cowboys' humiliating defeat, weighed heavily on overall viewership.
Here’s how the NFL's Week 6 broadcasts performed compared to 2023:
Thursday Night Football (49ers vs. Seahawks): This highly anticipated divisional showdown, aired on Amazon Prime, saw a 5% drop in viewership compared to last year.
Fox’s 1 p.m. Games: The early afternoon slate of games on Fox drew fewer eyes than expected, dropping 13% year-over-year.
Lions-Cowboys: Although this game attracted 24.06 million viewers on Fox, it was still down 8% from last year’s Eagles-Jets matchup in the same slot.
Sunday Night Football (Bengals vs. Giants): NBC’s primetime slot, usually a highlight of the weekend, posted its lowest ratings for a Sunday night game since 2020, pulling in just 15.44 million viewers.
Monday Night Football (Bills vs. Jets): While the matchup managed 17.3 million viewers, it paled in comparison to last year's Cowboys-Chargers showdown, which drew 19.64 million. Despite the dip, it was still the second-largest Monday Night Football audience for Week 6 since 2000.
Interestingly, two time slots did outperform their 2023 counterparts. NFL Network's Jaguars-Bears game from London and CBS's early Sunday afternoon window were the exceptions, offering a glimmer of hope in an otherwise down week.
Why the Decline?
There are a few reasons for the dip in ratings during Week 6. The absence of some of the NFL's most popular teams and star players had a significant impact. The Chiefs, who have become the league's "TV kings," were on a bye, depriving the NFL of one of its most marketable stars, Patrick Mahomes. The Cowboys, who consistently draw large viewership numbers, have struggled this season and were blown out in their Week 6 game. Their inconsistent performance and lack of home wins (they’re currently 3–3) has dampened the excitement among their massive fanbase.
Additionally, while the matchups offered during Week 6 had their appeal, they lacked the same draw as some of last year’s games. This was particularly evident in the Fox and NBC broadcasts, which failed to generate the same buzz.
Looking Ahead to Week 7: Hope for a Bounceback
Despite the disappointing ratings in Week 6, the NFL is banking on Week 7 to bring viewers back. There are some compelling storylines that could reignite interest and drive higher ratings:
Super Bowl LVIII Rematch (Chiefs vs. 49ers): On Sunday afternoon, Kansas City heads to San Francisco for a highly anticipated rematch of last season’s Super Bowl. With both teams currently sitting at 3–3, the 49ers will be hungry for revenge after losing to the Chiefs in February. This matchup will likely be one of the most-watched games of the season, especially with Mahomes back in action.
Sean Payton’s Return to New Orleans: Week 7 kicks off on Thursday Night Football with the Broncos visiting the Saints, marking Sean Payton’s return to New Orleans as Denver’s head coach. This storyline adds extra intrigue to an otherwise standard matchup, which could give Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football a boost.
Prime Video’s Rising Viewership: Speaking of Prime Video, the streaming service has been one of the few bright spots in the NFL’s ratings landscape. So far, Prime Video is averaging nearly 14 million viewers for Thursday Night Football games this season, an 18% increase from 2023. The NFL will hope to see this trend continue with more marquee matchups in the coming weeks.
Bye Week Changes: With the Cowboys on a bye week, they’ll get a much-needed break. Their struggles this season have been a factor in the ratings dip, but their future matchups, especially when they return to action, will be crucial for viewership numbers.
Can the NFL Maintain Its Viewership Lead?
The NFL remains the most-watched sports league in the U.S., but as Week 6 has shown, even the mighty NFL can experience slumps. The good news is that the league has several high-profile matchups and storylines that should help regain the audience's attention as the season progresses.
With Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs, and other fan favorites back in action, expect the NFL’s ratings to rebound in Week 7. The challenge will be sustaining that momentum as the season moves deeper into the winter months, where competition for viewers’ attention heats up.
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Source: Front Office Sports
Photo Credit: NFL
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