NFL Preseason Viewership Soars, Defying Last Season's Decline

As the NFL regular season approaches, the league is already celebrating a major viewership milestone. According to the latest data, this year's NFL preseason has averaged a record 2.2 million viewers per game across various networks, including NFL Network, ESPN, CBS, NBC, and FOX. This mark represents a 17% increase from the previous year, and the highest preseason viewership since 2018.

NFL Network, which aired the majority of the live preseason games, has seen its own viewership surge, averaging 1.8 million viewers—the network's highest-ever total for the preseason and a 26% jump from 2024. This viewership spike comes after last season's disappointing 2.2% decline in regular-season viewership, which saw the average drop to 17.5 million viewers per game.

The preseason's strong start was particularly evident in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on July 31, which featured the Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions. That matchup averaged a whopping 6.9 million viewers, a 40% increase from the 2024 Hall of Fame Game. This impressive viewership trend suggests the NFL may be poised for a rebound in the upcoming regular season, which kicks off on September 4 with a matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles.