If there was ever any doubt about whether or not there was an audience for the NFL’s early morning international games, the television ratings are telling a clear story.
This year, the NFL played a record-setting seven international contests, six of which were broadcast at 9:30 a.m. ET on NFL Network. And perhaps the regularity with which these games are being scheduled is helping viewership, because people are waking up to watch the NFL.
According to a report by Austin Karp in Sports Business Journal, NFL Network averaged 6.2 million viewers for its six-game international slate. That figure is up a substantial 32% versus last year’s package. (The audience data does not include viewers that tuned in via over-the-air broadcast networks in local markets.)
Leading the charge was the October 5 game between the Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns from London, which averaged 6.4 million viewers for NFL Network.
It’s no secret that the NFL is looking to expand on its international presence next season, perhaps playing up to nine games abroad. However, the television schedule for those international games could be up in the air as the equity deal between the NFL and ESPN awaits regulatory approval.
As part of its contract with the NFL, ESPN is guaranteed 21 games across the first 17 weeks of the season. Recently, that has meant four Monday Night Football doubleheaders each season. But those doubleheaders are going away next season if the equity deal gets approved. However, if the NFL-ESPN deal isn’t approved by next spring, when the schedule is released, the NFL will need to find a way to serve ESPN four additional games, potentially without those doubleheaders. That could perhaps include some international inventory.
Wherever the games air, this year’s viewership figures prove they’re of value. Eventually, the NFL would like to expand its international schedule to 16 games and sell the slate as a separate broadcast package. That makes the size of these audiences exceptionally important.
The more international games the NFL schedules, the more viewership for the games will become habitual. Eventually 9:30 a.m. ET might simply be seen as a normal NFL window. The NFL certainly hopes as much.