The Town with Matthew Belloni Why the NFL (and Everything Else) Keeps Breaking Ratings Records
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Dec 4, 2025 Brian Fuhrer, a Nielsen executive specializing in audience measurement, joins to delve into the skyrocketing NFL ratings and the evolving landscape of sports viewership. He explains the innovative Big Data Plus panel, merging panel and device data for more accurate insights. The conversation touches on the significant role of streaming platforms like Peacock in attracting younger audiences, the importance of measuring out-of-home viewership, and how co-viewing metrics are becoming crucial for accurate ratings. It's a fascinating look at why sports ratings are booming!
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Measurement Changes Raised Reported Audiences
- Nielsen's Big Data Plus Panel and expanded out-of-home coverage raised measured audiences by improving accuracy and reach.
- The changes explain many recent record headlines but don't fully account for close, content-driven viewership gains.
Big Data Aims For Accuracy, Not Just Bigger Numbers
- Brian Fuhrer says Big Data aims to improve reliability, not simply inflate ratings.
- He notes the new methods can raise or lower counts depending on the broadcast.
Out-Of-Home Added Real But Limited Lift
- Expanded out-of-home measurement added materially to Thanksgiving game totals but was not the sole driver.
- For the Kansas City-Dallas game out-of-home contributed about 45%, up from ~38% last year.