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- Many NFL fans were forced to pay to watch the Chiefs-Dolphins playoff game on Peacock.
- The game was the most streamed US event ever, per Comcast.
- There will likely be another streaming-only playoff game next season.
If you were frustrated by the NFL's decision to air a playoff game exclusively on a streaming service for non-local audiences, there's some bad news: It's probably going to happen again next season.
That's because many Americans tuned into Peacock for Saturday's matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins. It was the most streamed US event ever, according to Comcast, and averaged 23 million viewers across Peacock, NFL+, and NBC affiliates in Kansas City and Miami.
While it's unclear exactly how many people signed up for Peacock to watch the game — and how many will keep their $5.99 a month subscriptions — there are signs that NBCUniversal's $110 million investment paid off. Saturday was a record day for Peacock in terms of audience, usage, engagement, and time spent on the platform, with a record 16.3 million concurrent devices, according to the company. The apparent win for the streaming service comes after it reported nearly $3 billion in losses last year. As of December, Peacocks's 30 million subscribers lagged well behind the likes of Netflix, Disney+, and Max.
"We couldn't be prouder of our partnership with Peacock and are thrilled with the results of the first-ever exclusively live-streamed NFL playoff game," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "To best serve our fans, we need to ensure games are available to them as their viewing habits change, and this includes digital distribution as we continue to help shape the future of the sports and entertainment industry."
As more Americans ditch traditional cable and satellite TV packages, the game's viewership figures suggest the NFL would remain a huge draw in a streaming future. They've also led to widespread speculation that more streaming-only playoff games are on the horizon.
Even before Saturday's strong viewership numbers, the NFL had plans to have streaming-only playoff games beyond this season.
When the league signed a new television deal in 2021, it set aside one playoff game to sell separately each year, The Wall Street Journal reported. Last year, the NFL inked a one-year deal with NBCUniversal to carry this playoff game exclusively on Peacock.
When the deal was announced, Hans Schroeder, executive vice president and chief operating officer of NFL Media, told the Journal that were would likely continue to be a streaming-exclusive in the years to come, whether it be on Peacock or another platform.
It's not just the playoffs where NFL fans have had to reckon with streaming services. Amazon Prime Video has the exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football through 2033, and Peacock has one exclusive regular season NFL game through 2028.
However, existing commitments with broadcast partners — the NFL's television contract runs through the 2033 season — means that streaming-only football games will likely remain relatively rare for the foreseeable future.