A pressing topic presently dominating sports news is the significant dip in the total TV audience for the NFL Draft this year.
According to the data from Thursday’s ratings, viewership for the 2024 draft has seen a 3% decline compared to 2023.
Total draft TV audience drops by three percent in comparison to 2023. https://t.co/F81uNTXW1Q
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) May 1, 2024
What initially caught the NFL’s attention was an unexpected 6% boost in the ratings during the first night of the draft.
A figure so impressive it prompted the league to officially spotlight it through a Friday press release.
Nevertheless, as the second and third days of the draft approached, there were conspicuous silences in terms of press releases from the NFL. Friday’s audience was notable for a different reason: it recorded the smallest viewership since 2012.
Furthermore, Saturday’s total audience experienced a 3% drop compared to 2023, which signals a concerning downward trajectory of viewer engagement.
One key player in this regard is the NFL Network, which despite reducing costs and downsizing shows inexplicably, saw a massive 14.5% fall in audience numbers on Saturday from the previous year.
A metric that translates into just 498,000 viewers – a critically low figure that is a matter of worry.
Despite the apparent surge in Thursday’s ratings, the overall audience for the draft experienced a drop. Even though Thursday’s figures were seen as a pattern disruptor, this 3% drop in total viewership has been viewed with concern in the league.
The declining TV audience calls for an internal review to ascertain the possible reasons leading to this state of affairs.
The implications range from financial impacts to broader influences on the sport’s popularity and stature.
Sponsors, advertisers, and broadcasters are likely to express concern over this declining pattern, especially given how closely tied their revenues are to viewership figures.
With stakes this high, the 3% decline is a consequential issue that will undoubtedly be watched closely.
