NFL, Marketers Planned Big, Played Big, Scored Big During Kickoff Weekend ’24
Wednesday, September 11, 2024 at 03:38PM By Barry Janoff
September 11, 2024: As if the NFL needed justification to do what it does, the league went all-in for what it called its “biggest Kickoff weekend ever with four days of games and global events.
The NFL said it averaged 21 million viewers per game during its four-day opening week, labeling it the "most-watched Week 1 on record."
In all, the league said 123 million people saw at least part of one game, its highest total for an opening week since 2019. The per-game average on TV and digital platforms was a 12% increase over last year.
"A great start with the viewership. It was great to be back and a lot to be excited about," Hans Schroeder, evp-NFL Media, told AP Sports.
NBC topped all games, with the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs 27-20 victory over the Baltimore Ravens in the Sept. 5 season opener averaging 29.2 million on TV and digital.
The Sept. 8 NBC Sunday Night Football game between the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams, a Detroit 26-20 win in OT, averaged 22.7 million.
Monday Night Football on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN+ averaged 20.4 million for the San Francisco 49ers 32-19 win over Aaron Rogers and the New York Jets.
ESPN said the audience was the second-most-watched Week 1 game in ESPN’s 19 seasons airing Monday Night Football (2006-present, 34 games), behind only the Jets hosting the Buffalo Bills Oct. 12, 2003 (22.7 million).
The Philadelphia Eagles 34-29 victory over the Green Bay Packers in the NFL's first Friday night Week 1 game in 54 years — and first in league history in South America (Sao Paulo, Brazil) — averaged 14 million on Peacock and NBC affiliates in Philadelphia, Green Bay and Milwaukee.
"I think the numbers even exceeded our expectations,” Schroeder told AP Sports.
“Brazil was great and the game was an exciting one. On a new night and window, I think that was a phenomenal start for us."
The six games that were part of Fox's doubleheader averaged 18.64 million, which the network said was its best start since 2020.
Tom Brady's first game as an analyst for Fox Sports averaged 23.93 million, with the Dallas Cowboys defeating the Cleveland Browns, 33-17.
CBS said it averaged 17.79 million for its six games, its most watched Week 1 “single-header” since it reacquired NFL rights in 1998.
Amazon's Prime Video, Applebee's, Best Buy, BetMGM, Campbell's Chunky, Crown Royal, FanDuel, Little Caesar's, Gatorade, Lowe's, Nationwide, Pepsi, Sony, Tostitos, Toyota, USAA and YouTubeTV were among the NFL partners unleashing their marketing power for the 2024 season.
Campaigns featured such current and former players and head coaches as Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Brock Purdy, Dan Campbell, Andy Reid, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and a whole lot of former All-Pro center Jason Kelce.
Among the marketing campaigns in which Kelce was featured were Buffalo Wild Wings, Courtyard by Marriott, General Mills Cheerios, Ole Smoky Distillery and YouTubeTV NFL Sunday Ticket.
He also snuck in a promo spot with Scott Van Pelt and Marcus Spears for ESPN Monday Night Football to support his new role as an analyst for Monday Night Countdown, and was part of an ensemble cast in “Manningcast: The Musical.”
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