First-round ratings prove NFL is still king
The NFL erased any doubts about its spot atop the television mountain, dominating the airwaves Thursday on day one of the draft.
After drawing record-low ratings a year ago, the NFL bounced back this week. According to Joe Pompliano of Huddle Up, Thursday's opening round drew 11.29 million viewers, up from 10.3 million in 2022.
The millions who tuned in saw a lot on the draft's opening night.
The Houston Texans started the draft by selecting Bryce Young with the top pick, making him the first Alabama player since 1948 to go No. 1 overall.
Meanwhile, Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs became the first running backs selected in the top 20 since Saquon Barkley in 2018, chosen by the Atlanta Falcons (No. 8) and Detroit Lions (No. 12), respectively.
The back end of the draft also has produced another unique first. The Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Chargers, Baltimore Ravens and Minnesota Vikings all drafted receivers from picks 20 to 23, marking the first time receivers made up four consecutive picks, per ESPN Stats and Info.
This year's first round had its fair share of firsts, but viewers likely didn't need that excuse to watch. All things NFL draw eyes—even the much-maligned reboot of the Pro Bowl Games, which an astounding 6.2 million people watched. It's not a hard sell to get NFL fans' attention when the futures of their teams are at stake.
While things like the NFL Draft, Pro Bowl and other off-the-field events continue dominating television, the games are the league's bread and butter.
In 2022, NFL games comprised 45 of the year's 50 most-watched sporting events.
Interest in the NFL is at an all-time high, and despite the myriad of other options for entertainment, the stranglehold appears only to be growing.
More must-reads: