NFL Breaks Records on Thanksgiving with Historic Viewership

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The Dallas Cowboys' thrilling 31-28 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Thanksgiving Day drew a record-breaking 57.23 million viewers on CBS, making it the most-watched regular-season game in NFL history. The match was part of a triple-header that averaged 44.7 million viewers, surpassing last year's record of 34.5 million. The Green Bay-Detroit game, which saw the Packers win 31-24, was the second most-watched, with 47.7 million viewers tuning in. The increase in viewership can be attributed to Nielsen's new Big Data Panel methodology, which began measuring out-of-home viewers and data from smart TVs, cable, and satellite set-top boxes. This change has allowed for a more accurate count of viewers across the country. The NFL's executive vice president of media distribution, Hans Schroeder, praised Nielsen's efforts, saying, 'We saw a big step forward with the initial out-of-home rollout, and this next step captures the entire country, getting to the most accurate view of our audiences.' The Cowboys-Chiefs game shattered the previous record by 36%, with an audience peak of 61.36 million at the game's conclusion. The Green Bay-Detroit game peaked at 57.96 million, while the Bengals' 32-14 win over the Ravens set a new mark for the most-watched Thanksgiving night game. The NFL's Commissioner, Roger Goodell, expressed his excitement about the record-breaking viewership, saying, 'We're thrilled by that.' The league's overall ratings are up 6% through the first 12 weeks of the season, and the NFL is expected to have its most-viewed weekend in history. The success of the NFL's Thanksgiving games has led to discussions about the league's future scheduling and broadcasting strategies. Fox Sports President Mike Mulvihill noted that the league may need to consider a more strategic approach to scheduling, rather than always going for the biggest game available, to maintain viewership and revenue.