Thanksgiving Day Ratings Highlight the NFL’s Ongoing Appeal

The National Football League (NFL) has set a Thanksgiving Day viewership record for the third consecutive year, highlight the competition’s ongoing appeal.

The average viewership across the Chicago Bears versus Detroit Lions, New York Giants versus Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins versus Green Bay Packers games was 34.2 million.

Digital streaming across platforms delivered an average minute audience of 1.1m – the highest on record for Thanksgiving Day and a 36 percent year-on-year increase.

The trio of games also sparked massive interest in the betting industry, with Betway Sports among the sites which were inundated with wagers from NFL fans.

The news will undoubtedly have pleased NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who is eager to broaden the global appeal of American Football.

NFL games have already been staged in several countries overseas including the United Kingdom, and Goodell recently confirmed there are plans to explore opportunities in other markets. 

This includes the Republic of Ireland, which has already hosted several college football games at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin over the past few years.

Croke Park is another possible venue which has previous history with the NFL having staged a pre-season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Bears in 1997.

In a recent interview with NFL Network, Goodell confirmed that eight games could be played outside the US in 2025. Ireland could be on the agenda.

“We are definitely going to Spain, we announced that,” Goodell said. “We expect to return to Mexico City. We expect to return to Brazil. We will certainly be back in the UK.

“We’re also looking at the potential of another game in the UK area in Ireland, possibly. That’s a possibility. We’ll certainly be back in Germany. If that total is eight, that’s what we’re shooting for.”

The Steelers are prime candidates to play in Ireland as are one of three NFL teams with the Emerald Isle as its designated global market alongside the Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets.

This innovative scheme gives teams the exclusive rights to market in an assigned jurisdiction, and the Steelers are eager to capitalise on the opportunity.

Daniel Rooney, the Steelers’ director of business development and strategy, confirmed last year it was the organisation’s dream to play a regular season game in Ireland.

The series has been a big hit in the UK, with fans flocking to see the games staged at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley Stadium.

NFL games have taken place in London since 2007 with the aim of increasing American football’s popularity in the UK, and the strategy has worked.

While sports such as soccer, cricket and horse racing are hugely popular in the UK, the NFL has garnered a sizeable fanbase across the country.

Given Ireland’s strong ties with several US cities, staging a regular season game at the Aviva Stadium or Croke Park in 2025 makes perfect sense.

The Steelers are probably prime candidates to get the nod if the NFL heads to Ireland, while the Jets, Jaguars, Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles are other viable options.

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