More People Streamed NFL Games on Amazon This Season

Amazon said that NFL Thursday Night Football game viewership via streaming rose 17% as Amazon Prime replaced Twitter.

Amazon Prime Video has live coverage of 11 games, 10 simulcast on Thursday night and one on Christmas Day. The games reached 18.4 million total viewers in 224 countries and territories.

The average minute audience—the measure most comparable to TV ratings, was 310,000, up 17% from last year. Those viewer watched an average of 63 minutes of the game.

In total more than 750 million minutes of live NFL coverage was watched on Prime Video this season.

The biggest audience for prime video came on Dec. 7 when 2 million viewers worldwide watch live coverage of the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints.

Related: Global OTT Streaming Video Viewing Doubled-Study

Some other notes about what Amazon Prime viewers bought during the NFL season.

  • NFL viewers like to cook (and tailgate) – Prime members who watched the NFL on Prime Video are 41 percent more likely to buy a Crock-Pot on Amazon than non-NFL viewers.
  • Prime members in Mississippi, Wyoming and Alabama who watched the NFL on Prime Video shopped the most on Amazon for general sports merchandise; whereas Prime members in New Mexico, South Dakota and Rhode Island shopped the most on Amazon specifically for NFL merchandise.

o    During the season, the NFL teams with the most-purchased merchandise on Amazon were the Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots.

o    During the season, the best-selling NFL items on Amazon by category were:

  • Footwear: Dallas Cowboys Men’s Team Logo Moccasin Slippers
  • Hardgoods: Dallas Cowboys Metallic Travel Tumbler, Stainless Steel and Black Vinyl, 16-Ounce
  • Headwear: New England Patriots New Era 2017 On-Field Sport Knit Beanie Hat
  • Baby: Philadelphia Eagles Boys Bodysuit Bib & Cap Set, 3-6 Months, Green
  • Jerseys: Franklin Sports New England Patriots Deluxe Youth Uniform Set, Medium
  • Accessories: Green Bay Packers Marque Printed Fleece Throw
  • Outwear: Dallas Cowboys Champion Tech Fleece Hoodie, X-Large, Heather Grey
  • Pants: Oakland Raiders Men's Active Basic Fleece Sweatpants, Large, Black
  • Shirts: Pittsburgh Steelers Men's Long Sleeve Crew Neck Fleece Tee, X-Large, Black
  • Sweaters: Philadelphia Eagles Busy Block Ugly Sweater Extra Large
Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.