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The NFL’s decision to schedule its season-opening game on a Wednesday resulted in a decline in television viewership compared to the previous year. The Week 1 matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots, broadcast on NBC and Peacock, drew 25.1 million viewers.
This figure represents an 11 percent decrease in ratings compared to the 2025 season opener between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles. That game, which took place on a Thursday and was delayed by inclement weather, was the least-viewed NFL season opener since 2022. Despite the overall decline, NBC reported that the Patriots-Seahawks game achieved the highest viewership in the 18-49 age demographic for an NFL opener since 2021.
Separately, the NFL game held in Melbourne, Australia, between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams, averaged 18.5 million viewers on Netflix. The broadcast reached a peak of 21.3 million viewers between 9:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. ET. The 49ers won the game 27-7. Globally, the matchup recorded 21.7 million viewers and set a record as the most-viewed NFL game in Australian history.
Article and image source: australianherald.com
