NFL Sundays Boost Broadcast TV Viewership

The National Football League's immense influence on television viewing was strongly evident in October, propelling broadcast networks to a third consecutive month of audience growth. Nielsen data revealed that on Sundays, when multiple NFL games are broadcast, broadcast networks commanded 27.3% of all U.S. TV viewing. This stands in stark contrast to the 22% average viewership share from Monday through Saturday, demonstrating the league's powerful impact.

This NFL-driven viewership surge extended to streaming services that regularly air games. Peacock, which simulcasts NBC's Sunday Night Football, saw its share of total TV viewing rise to 2% on Sundays, up from 1.5% on other days. Similarly, Paramount+ experienced an increase from 1.2% to 1.6% on Sundays. Amazon's Prime Video, the home of Thursday Night Football, captured 6.4% of viewing on Thursdays, significantly higher than its overall October average of 3.8%.

Overall, October marked a strong period for broadcast television, achieving its highest viewing share of 2025 at 22.9%. This rise, aided by NFL games and the premieres of popular dramas, occurred while streaming held a commanding 45.7% of TV use and cable dipped slightly to 22.2%. YouTube remained the top streaming platform, with YouTube TV, Disney+, Paramount+, and Peacock all showing month-over-month gains.