Image Source: Mike Florio
Key Takeaways
- The Texans-Steelers wild-card game drew an average of 29.1 million viewers across multiple networks, a 15% increase from last year’s wild-card game
- The audience peaked at 33 million viewers between 9:00 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. ET
- The game’s viewership was not impacted by the lopsided score in the fourth quarter
- The ManningCast, a live podcast-style broadcast, has struggled to attract viewers away from the main broadcast
Introduction to the Game
The wild-card weekend came to a close with a game that was expected to be a thrilling matchup between the Texans and Steelers. However, the game quickly got out of hand in the fourth quarter, with the Texans ultimately winning 30-6. Despite the lopsided score, the game still managed to draw in a large audience. As reported by ESPN, the game was watched by an average of 29.1 million viewers across multiple networks, including ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and Deportes. This represents a 15% increase from last year’s wild-card game between the Vikings and Rams.
Viewership Numbers
The viewership numbers for the game were impressive, with the audience peaking at 33 million viewers between 9:00 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. ET. This is a significant increase from last year’s game, and it’s clear that the matchup between the Texans and Steelers was a draw for football fans. As ESPN noted, the total number of viewers matched the January 2024 Monday night wild-card game between the Eagles and Buccaneers. This suggests that the game was able to hold its own in terms of viewership, even with a lopsided score in the fourth quarter. According to the article, "The dam broke in the final 15 minutes" of the game, but this did not seem to impact the viewership numbers.
The ManningCast
One aspect of the game that did not seem to attract a large audience was the ManningCast, a live podcast-style broadcast that features Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. As the article notes, "people who want to watch the game are far more inclined to, you know, watch the game — not a live podcast that often treats the game as background noise." This suggests that the ManningCast has struggled to siphon eyeballs away from the main broadcast, and it’s likely that this is due to the fact that fans prefer to watch the game itself rather than a secondary broadcast. As the article quotes, "ESPN didn’t, and usually doesn’t, announce the viewership for the ManningCast," which suggests that the network may not be prioritizing this aspect of their coverage.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Texans-Steelers wild-card game was a success in terms of viewership, with an average of 29.1 million viewers tuning in across multiple networks. The game’s lopsided score in the fourth quarter did not seem to impact the viewership numbers, and the audience peaked at 33 million viewers between 9:00 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. ET. The ManningCast, on the other hand, has struggled to attract a large audience, and it’s likely that this is due to the fact that fans prefer to watch the game itself rather than a secondary broadcast. As the article notes, the game’s viewership numbers are a positive sign for the NFL, and it will be interesting to see how the rest of the playoffs unfold in terms of viewership.
https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/texans-steelers-generates-29-million-on-monday-night