CBS Sports activities, Fox Sports activities, and NBC Sports activities will probably be really grateful this yr, as their NFL Thanksgiving video games all set historic viewership scores information.
The matchup between two juggernaut franchises, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs vs. the Dallas Cowboys on CBS Sports activities, grew to become the most-watched regular-season recreation in NFL historical past, reaching 57.23 million whole viewers, in accordance with Nielsen Media Analysis.
The 4 p.m. ET recreation was up +47% in comparison with final yr’s recreation between the New York Giants and the Cowboys, which had 38.839 million whole viewers. The brand new numbers additionally topped the earlier document of 42.059 million, set in a 2022 recreation that includes the Giants and Cowboys. With this yr’s recreation happening to the wire, peak viewership reached 61.357 million between 7:45 and eight p.m. ET.
In the meantime, the primary matchup of the day at 1 p.m. ET on Fox, that includes the Inexperienced Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions, introduced in 47.7 million whole viewers. This was Fox’s most-watched regular-season recreation ever, with a peak whole viewership of 57.957 million between 4 and 4:15 p.m. ET. The sport was up +27% in comparison with final yr’s matchup between the Chicago Bears vs. the Detroit Lions.
The Cincinnati Bengals conquer the Baltimore Ravens later that night time at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC was seen by a mean of 28.4 million whole viewers, making it the most-watched primetime recreation on document. It was up +7% and topped final yr’s matchup between the Miami Dolphins and the Packers.
“For many years, we’ve been capable of depend on the uptick in viewing that the return of soccer brings,” stated Brian Fuhrer, SVP, Product Technique, Nielsen. “However the affect has develop into more and more pronounced annually, punctuated by a record-breaking Thanksgiving efficiency in 2025.”
This yr’s video games are being measured utilizing Nielsen’s huge knowledge +panel measurement system, which mixes its conventional family panel with huge knowledge from related gadgets, together with good TVs and set-top containers.
“Stay sports activities is probably the most advanced factor we measure, and to do it successfully, now we have to proceed to evolve and enhance, with the latest examples being Large Information + Panel and elevated out-of-home protection,” added Fuhrer.
