A Look at the Data the NFL Is Using to Decide What Game to Broadcast in Your Area

Criteria used for selecting NFL games to broadcast include:
1) Past TV ratings
2) Local affiliate insights
3) Geographic rules
4) A few tbsp of “instinct”

Flashback: Why People in Mississippi Have to Watch the Giants

Why this matters: CBS, NBC, Fox, and ESPN will pay the NFL $5.6B this year for the right to air these games which makes maximizing viewership important.

Change in the couch: AT&T will pay the NFL $1.5B for the exclusive rights to NFL Sunday Ticket this year.

Average audience by season (YoY growth):
1) 2015 – 18.7M
2) 2016 – 16.5M (↓ 12%)
3) 2017 – 15.0M (↓ 9%)
4) 2018 – 15.8M (↑ 6%)

Average audience in 2018 by network:
1) Sunday Afternoon (Fox) – 23.1M
2) Sunday Afternoon (CBS) – 22.2M
3) Sunday Night (NBC) – 19.2M
4) Monday Night (ESPN) – 11.4M

The total audience for NFL Kickoff Game (Packers vs. Bears) according to NBC Sports (% of total):
1) Television – 22M (97%)
2) Streaming – 627K (3%)
3) Total – 23M

Video: Watch CNBC’s full interview with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell

More #1: NFL takes a long view on ‘Sunday Ticket’

More #2: Mission Accomplished: ESPN’s Jimmy Pitaro Healing Fractured NFL Relationship