The latest installment of the game of the year, Ravens at 49ers, attracted an average audience of 27.2 million on Christmas night. A less impactful game made an even bigger impact earlier in the day.
CBS announced that 29 million tuned in for Raiders-Chiefs, the 1:00 p.m. ET Christmas game.
It was, per the release, the biggest audience for a Christmas game since 1989. That year, the Vikings hosted the Bengals on a Monday night in Minneapolis.
The numbers generated by the two games played on Christmas Day will only increase the chances of the NFL finding a way to serve up games on Christmas next year, when December 25 falls on a Wednesday. Although the league office has said it won’t play games when the holiday lands on a Tuesday or a Wednesday, the league’s broader business interests will make it difficult to surrender the captive audience of Christmas to the NBA.
The last piece of the 2023 Christmas puzzle is the late-afternoon game between the Giants and the Eagles. Fox has yet to disclose the numbers. Whatever they are, Christmas and football have become as solid of a fit as Thanksgiving and football.
It would be a surprise if the owners don’t instruct the powers-that-be to come up with a way for the league to continue its show of force on a day that now features three standalone games that are attracting massive viewership from folks sitting around the tree, regardless of whether Christmas lands on a day when the NFL ordinarily doesn’t play games.
DISCLAIMER: This site and the products offered are for entertainment purposes only, and there is no gambling offered on this site. This service is intended for adult audiences. No guarantees are made for any specific outcome. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, please call 1-800-GAMBLER. PointsBet is our Official Sports Betting Partner and we may receive compensation if you place a bet on PointsBet for the first time after clicking our links.
Ⓒ 2023 NBC Universal