VAB Examines NFL 2023 Season's Record-Breaking Viewership Growth

  —The Taylor Swift Effect, Increased Female Viewership, Primetime Spanish Broadcasts Among Key Factors Cited In New Report—

NEW YORK, Feb. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2023 season broke records for the NFL as long-time fans and new audiences huddled together to enjoy the communal experience of live sports on TV. Was that all just the Taylor Swift Effect? What other key factors were there? And what's the role of modern measurement solutions in this current landscape? The Video Advertising Bureau (VAB) answers those questions and more in After Further Review…Ready For It? Examining NFL's 2023 Season Viewership Growth.

"2023 was a terrific audience growth year for NFL Football, with growth spikes across all important measures and across both streaming and linear platforms. Engagement metrics also spiked during these live and communal games, so many match-ups were 'big events'," said Sean Cunningham, President & CEO, VAB. "While the 'Taylor Swift Effect' is very real, the female audience counts swelled all season long, as the women that may have come for one game stayed for the rest of the season, which is another big NFL opportunity for marketers."

Among the key factors of audience growth for 2023 NFL primetime games: 

• The 'Swifties Effect' is real and the hype around Taylor Swift attending Chiefs games drew female audiences to the live NFL broadcasts.
• Increased female viewership extended beyond Chiefs games with the audience growing by nearly
  one-third across the NFL season.
• NFL primetime games on Spanish-language networks creates a cultural connection across both linear TV and streaming.
• NFL viewership saw double-digit growth across linear TV and streaming as more viewers tuned in to watch from inside, and outside, their home.
• Modern measurement solutions show viewership lifts against panel only data on average, especially among Spanish-language networks.

Read the full report—which includes additional data, insights and analysis—here.

ABOUT VAB
The Video Advertising Bureau (VAB)—whose members include the national TV networks alongside a broader community of influential media companies—plays a dual role in the video advertising industry. VAB is fiercely advocating for the changes that bring about a more innovative and transparent marketplace. VAB also provides the insights and thought leadership that enables marketers to develop business-driving marketing strategies. Visit VAB online and access its continuously growing content library at thevab.com.

Media Contact: [email protected]

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SOURCE VAB