Nielsen’s new mechanism for measuring out-of-home viewing has helped the NFL, considerably.
All numbers are up in 2025. Including the Christmas games.
Via NFL Media, the Lions-Vikings game set a streaming record, with an average audience of 27.5 million. The early game between the Cowboys and Commanders averaged 19.9 million, creating a two-game numer of 23.7 million.
The captive audience of Christmas Day offset the fact that the games weren’t particularly compelling. And the Netflix production left much to be desired, given the ill-advised decision to interview via Zoom four former players during the back-to-back games.
No one wanted that. No one, except the Netflix exec who thought it was a good idea. Everyone who watched the games had to deal with the distraction to the coverage, including canned questions like, “What does football mean to you?”
It means enough to us to tell Netflix to never do in-game Zoom interviews again.
Big Shield combines gambling, pro football, and the mob into a cautionary tale regarding inside information, and the dangers that come from selling it.
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