The latest Thursday Night Football broadcast on Prime Video has achieved a new milestone, drawing an impressive 19.39 million viewers during the matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions. This audience record surpasses the previous high of 17.76 million viewers, established by a game between the Washington Commanders and the Green Bay Packers earlier this season. The viewership for this recent game marks a significant increase of 12% compared to last year’s comparable matchup, which garnered 17.29 million viewers between the Packers and Lions—also a previous record at the time.
This season, Prime Video is averaging 15.20 million viewers per Thursday Night Football game, reflecting a 15% increase from the overall average of 13.20 million viewers for the 2024 season. The numbers also show a substantial 28% rise from the 2023 average of 11.86 million and a striking 59% increase from the 2022 season’s average of 9.58 million viewers. The platform has seen consistent growth each year since acquiring the rights to Thursday night games.
Notably, recent viewership figures are derived from Nielsen’s new Big Data + Panel measurements, which have enhanced audience tracking for live sports, alongside expanded out-of-home viewing metrics that Nielsen introduced in February. These adjustments have likely contributed to the year-over-year growth observed in 11 out of the 13 telecasts this season. It’s also possible that as viewers acclimate to the idea of watching games on Prime Video, there has been a natural increase in audience engagement over the years.
Despite changes in how viewership is measured, it is evident that Prime Video has dramatically expanded its audience since entering the Thursday Night Football arena in 2022. As streaming technology becomes more prevalent, fans are increasingly open to watching NFL games through these digital platforms.
In addition to this landmark achievement, Prime Video recently set another benchmark during its Black Friday game, which averaged 16.33 million viewers for a contest between the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles, further illustrating the platform’s growing popularity in the world of sports broadcasting.
