For the NFL, ratings have dropped in the 2024 postseason. The question for today is whether that will change.
Via Austin Karp of Sports Business Journal, the final metrics for the divisional round reflected a seven-percent drop from last year, with 40 million per game dipping to 37.1 million.
The Wild Card round had a 9.3-percent decline, with 31.2 million falling to 28.3 million.
The next test comes today, when the Eagles host the Commanders at 3:00 p.m. ET and the Bills face the Chiefs in Kansas City at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Last year, Ravens-Chiefs averaged 55.473 million in the early game. For Lions-49ers, a whopping 56.6 million tuned in on Sunday night.
The reason for the current decline isn’t clear. With an expanded college football playoff, it’s possible that some are suffering from football fatigue. It’s also possible that fans have had their fill of the Chiefs, who will play in their seventh straight AFC Championship and attempt to qualify for their fifth Super Bowl in six seasons.
The tinfoil-hat crowd thinks the NFL wants the Chiefs to keep winning. Wouldn’t it make more sense at this point for 345 Park Avenue to prefer the Bills?
Ditto for the NFC Championship. The Eagles have played in two Super Bowls since 2017. The Commanders haven’t been there since 1991, and the franchise’s resurgence could lead to plenty of free money to build a new stadium if the Commanders spend the next two week in the Super Bowl spotlight.
Regardless of the eventual matchup, the final four will square off today. Beyond the question of who wins will be whether the NFL is feeling frisky or flat when the numbers tracked by Nielsen are unveiled.
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