NFL complains about changes by Nielsen to TV ratings measurements
Summary
The NFL is unhappy with changes Nielsen plans to make to how TV viewership is measured starting August 31. The league says these changes were rushed and might hurt sports ratings, but Nielsen says their new methods provide more accurate measurements, especially for live sports.Key Facts
- Nielsen will change how it measures TV audiences on August 31, including tracking multiple viewers watching together.
- The NFL had a very successful TV season in 2025, with 18.7 million average viewers per game, a 10% increase from 2024.
- The 2026 Super Bowl attracted about 125 million viewers across multiple platforms.
- NFL data head Paul Ballew said the league is still studying how Nielsen’s changes will affect ratings but sees some negative impact.
- Nielsen claims their new methods, like Big Data + Panel and co-viewing tests, improve accuracy in measuring TV audiences.
- The NFL’s TV deals with CBS, Fox, NBC, Amazon, and ESPN run through 2033 or 2031, with options to opt out after 2029 or 2030.
- The NFL earns nearly $11 billion per year from these TV contracts.
- NFL executives said there are no current changes or early negotiations planned for their TV deals despite concerns over ratings measurements.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
