Greater than 121 million watched NFL video games on opening weekend

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Greater than 121 million followers watched a telecast of an NFL recreation in the course of the league’s opening week, a 5% improve over final season.

The league and Nielsen additionally stated on Wednesday that the typical viewership for all video games was 18.5 million, the most effective opening weekend in six years and up 3% from final 12 months.

A report seven Week 1 video games had been determined by three factors or fewer and 5 got here right down to a game-winning rating both within the last two minutes of regulation or time beyond regulation.

NBC had the 2 most-watched video games. Tampa Bay’s 19-3 win over Dallas Sunday night time averaged 24.5 million and final Thursday’s opening recreation, wherein Buffalo routed the defending Tremendous Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams 31-10, attracted 21.3 million.

Russell Wilson’s return to Seattle and the Seahawks’ 17-16 slender victory over Denver averaged 19.8 million throughout ABC, ESPN and ESPN2. That’s the most-watched Monday night time recreation since New Orleans confronted New England in 2009 (21.4 million). It’s additionally the fourth-biggest viewers since ESPN took over “Monday Night time Soccer” in 2006.

Minnesota’s 23-7 win over Inexperienced Bay averaged 18.5 million on Fox, and was the most-viewed in the course of the late Sunday afternoon window. Fox’s doubleheader numbers had been up 11% over final season, with a mean of 15.4 million for its six video games.

CBS had the most-watched early recreation, with Pittsburgh’s 23-20 time beyond regulation victory at Cincinnati averaging 17.5 million. CBS had seven video games on Sunday and its doubleheader averaged 17.0 million, the community’s third-most watched Week 1 since 1998.

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