The decision to schedule the Detroit Lions for the NFL Kickoff Game paid off on the field and in the ratings.
Thursday’s Lions-Chiefs NFL Kickoff Game averaged a 12.8 rating and 26.8 million viewers on NBC (24 million per Nielsen fast-nationals, plus a streaming audience of 2.8 million per Adobe Analytics), trailing only Cowboys-Buccaneers two years ago (26.9M) as the largest opening night audience since 2015 (Steelers-Patriots: 27.4M).
The Lions’ one-point win, which peaked with 29.1 million in the first half, increased 19% in ratings and 24% in viewership from Bills-Rams last year (10.8, 21.7M). The TV-only audience increased 20% (from 19.9M), but the streaming audience soared 60% (from 1.7M) to rank as the second-largest ever for an NFL game on NBC. (The first Kickoff Game for which streaming viewership was calculated — Panthers-Broncos in 2016 — averaged 278,000.)
NFL Kickoff Game ratings, viewership, all-time
As one would expect, the NFL Kickoff Game delivered easily the largest television audience since the Super Bowl.
Beyond the ratings superlatives, the Kickoff Game averaged a 35 share — the highest ever for an NFL regular season game on NBC. As linear television viewership declines, audiences will tend to account for a greater and greater piece of the diminished pie.
Kansas City led all markets with a 45.5 rating and whopping 81 share, meaning four of five televisions in use were tuned to the game in the average minute. Detroit placed second at a 30.0 and 62. Cincinnati was the top neutral market with an 18.9, with Minneapolis and Pittsburgh (16.6 each) rounding out the top five.
To put Thursday’s numbers in perspective, no non-NFL sporting event has averaged as many viewers since 2019.
Additional figures for the Kickoff Game, including viewership in the key demographics of adults 18-49, 18-34 and 25-54, will be posted when available.
(Nielsen estimates from NBC Sports)
