NFL Absolutely Dominated Live TV Ratings in 2023, Nielsen Data Shows

It might sound like hyperbole to say that the NFL has taken over television in recent years. However, a list of the top 100 most-watched telecasts of 2023 demonstrates that such talk isn’t just a sports-centered view of TV. It’s stating a fact. 

Sports did indeed dominate 2023’s TV landscape. According to Nielsen (via Sportico), 96 of the top 100 most-watched TV broadcasts of the year were sporting events. But 93 of those 96 telecasts were NFL games, largely watched in realtime. Topping the list was Fox’s broadcast of Super Bowl LVII with the Philadelphia Eagles playing the Kansas City Chiefs drawing 115 million viewers.

Those 93 broadcasts are a significant increase from 2022 when NFL games accounted for 82 of the top 100 TV programs.

The NFL ruled prime-time programming as well. Sports took up 56 of the top 100 telecasts in prime-time, per Variety. Broadcasts on this list, released by Nielsen, accounts for more streaming viewership, using its live plus seven days ratings metric. 

Of those 56 sports broadcasts, 45 of them were NFL games. Sunday Night Football is a ratings juggernaut for NBC, in addition to the “Thursday Night Special” editions of the broadcast. However, more people tuned in as the stakes got higher. The top five prime-time programs were postseason NFL games.  

The Dallas Cowboys lived up to their moniker as “America’s Team,” playing in 18 of the top 100 broadcasts. The Kansas City Chiefs played in 16 of those telecasts and the Buffalo Bills appeared in 13.